Give me back my memory!
by Hexxgirl
Summary: The Princess Tenten has had her memories stolen and is sold as a slave by her murderess step-mother. Now a bitter, feisty fighter, guess who's Uncle takes her into his service. No, not Oprah. Badish writing in the beginning, improves as the story goes on
1. She forgets

Hexx: OKAY!!! We have a nice little fanfic for all of u ppl today!

Blue: He got away.

Hexx: Who what?

Blue: Naruto, he escaped.

Hexx: But now what are the crocodiles going to eat?

Blue: We still have Lee,

Hexx: STRING HIM UP! WE ARE GOING FISHING!

Lee: HELP ME GAI-SENSI!

Kin: Oh my, anyway…Hexx dose no own Naruto. If she did he would be dead. This is a Neji and Tenten fanfic. Set in a medieval style. Some people may be out of character. Please try to ignore it. And-

Blue: AND IF YOU FLAME US!!! I WILL FIND YOU!!!

Kin: I promise you, she won't. She will just leave some not so kind messages.

Hexx: Hey! Turn off the mike! This is way to long of an intro!

Give my memory back!

A young girl stood in the middle of a grand throne room. Her eyes were filled with tears. She wore all black, and her brown hair hung limply at her shoulders. She started at the white box in front of her. The box that now held her father.

"Why Papa?" She wondered sadly. She cast upon the memory of finding him in the rose garden, dead on the ground. She had screamed so loudly, the neighboring kingdom had even sent guards to her aid. The ninja of her father's court had latter told her stepmother, the queen, that a single kurini to the head from a distance had done the job.

Mitsuki had taking over the kingdom as soon as the king was officially pronounced dead. And then she began to change. The young girl all was knew Mitsuki didn't like her. But Mitsuki become unusually cruel to the princess.

"TENTEN!" Mitsuki's high pitched voice broke the silence. Tenten turned and walked to her stepmother's quarters. As she walked, she pasted many of the servants who had helped her father raise her after here mother's death.

"Princess," A maid with red hair stopped her outside Mitsuki's door. Tenten turned to face the woman who had been her mother figure for fourteen out of her sixteen years. "Your mother is up to something, be careful." Tenten only nodded.

Opening the large wooden door, Tenten entered what had been her father's room. Days ago, it had been a room of wisdom. Now it looked like a gaudy nightmare. Mitsuki was terribly over indulgent.

"You wanted to see me mother?" Tenten asked. Her long black dress dragging along the marble floor. The blond woman looked up from the letter she was writing.

"Yes, I have very important news!" Mitsuki said. She signed her letter, and then pressed the family seal onto the letter. "There its official!" She handed the paper over to Tenten. She took the smooth paper in her small hands and began to read. Her eyes got very large.

"I-I don't understand!" She said.

"It means what it says." Mitsuki stated.

"But, but this means that-"

"That I am selling you to another kingdom as a slave." Mitsuki said flatly. She snatched the paper from the girl's hand.

"No one will bye a princess of a kingdom as powerful as this!" Tenten spat at her stepmother.

"But they will if they don't know you're a princess." Mitsuki said soothingly. "Anyway, I am not really sealing you, I am giving you as a gift to a king in a kingdom so far away that he has no idea what happens here."

"But, but why?" Tenten asked. She began to back away from Mitsuki. But Mitsuki only came closer.

"I want to rule this kingdom. And bye law, since I am not royal blood, I won't get to rule. If I knew that, I never would have killed your father." Mitsuki stated. Tenten widened her eyes and backed up until her back hit a wall.

"But, but Nikko-san said a ninja killed Papa!" Tenten trembled. She had all was been afraid of her stepmother. Now she was terrified.

Mitsuki smiled an evil smile before bringing her hands in front of her chest.

"I was once a ninja. But I was only good at one thing, aiming and throwing kurini. And rearranging and removing memories." She performed several hand signs and stepped up to Tenten's face.

Tenten looked into the eyes of the woman she had at one time loved. But now, she could feel only hate.

"You want forget everything. You won't forget your name, or that you were born in this kingdom. And that's about it." Mitsuki explained as she placed her two fingers on Tenten's pale forehead.

Tenten felt her childhood being ripped from her head. Then darkness over took her. Mitsuki grabbed her child. And smirked. She dragged her over to the couch and placed her on it. "Katherine!" She called. The red haired maid came in. "Dress her in a dress she can get dirty in, okay?" And with that Mitsuki left the room.

Katherine had watched everything. Her eyes weld up with tears as she looked at the princess lying on the couch. "I am sorry, Tenten-Chan."

The scene fades black.

Kin: I feel sad now,

Blue: hn

Hexx: Is Lee ready to go swimming?

Lee: NO! NO I AM NOT!

Hexx: TO BAD! Oh, were on. ahem I hope you like chapter one. I will be getting chapter two up as soon as I can. Oh the mystery of it all!

Blue: Ready?

Hexx: Yes, PULL THE LEVER BLUE!

blue pulls lever and Lee begins to lower to ground

Lee: GAI-SENSI!!!!!

Kin: Oh! I can't watch!


	2. Your giving me a what?

Hexx: IM BAAAACK!!! Okay, I did not feed Lee to crocodiles. Kin talked me out of it.

Blue: The little kill joy.

Kin: YOU WERE GONNA FEED HIM TO REPTILES!

Hexx: GIRLS! Play nice or don't play at all. Now Blue, it's your turn.

Blue: hmph, Hexx dose not own Naruto. If she did, Kin and I would be ninjas and Sauske-emo would be dead right now.

Hexx: OKAY! Moving on. Enjoy the story. TURN OFF THE MIKE!

Kin: Hai! Hexx-sama!

YOU'RE GIVING ME A WHAT!?

Hiashi Hyuuga was king of a kingdom by the sea. He sat on his throne as his two daughters played beside him. A page ran into the room, and announced,

"Your highnesses, a gift from Queen Mitsuki has arrived." He stated out of breath.

"Oh? Bring it in." Hiashi stated. The page clapped his hands and a man entered dragging a young brown haired girl.

She had her hands chained together and she fought back violently. She wore a long, ripped brown dress. She had brown eyes that flashed with anger. The man roughly tossed her down to the ground in a bow. The girl lifted her head and spat at Hiashi feet, causing her escort to hit her violently over the head with a stout club.

Hinata and Hanabi looked up from what they were doing, shocked. Hiashi raised a hand and began to speak, "That is not ness-" He never got to finish.

The girl rolled over onto her back, and screamed to her escort, "HIT ME AGAIN!" The man stopped and stared at her. The girl struggled to her feet, and then she hissed into the mans chest, because he was much taller then her, "hit, me, again"

"Papa?" A small voice caused the girl to whip around to face the three pale eyes. The smallest girl was now tugging on her fathers arm. "Why is she chained up?"

"Let me explain," Her escort began; he knelt and pulled the girl into a similar position. "I am Sento, first knight under Queen Mitsuki. This brat," He said, tugging hard on the chain in his hand, "Is a gift to you. She is a slave and is to do what ever she is told."

"Slave!?" Hiashi stammered, "Your giving me a what!?" Hinata ran to her father's side and grabbed his arm.

"Papa! You are not considering taking a slave! You said you hated slavery!" She said in her shaky voice.

"The slave ain't to happy bought it nether," The girl muttered from the floor.

"I can not accept a slave girl," Hiashi said. But Sento cut him off with a,

"If you don't take her, I will kill her outside of your gates." Sento said simply, he fingered the sheath on his waist. The girl's eyes got big and then into narrow slits.

Hiashi looked at his girl's faces and he knew right away, that they would rather take her as a slave, then to let her die. "Fine, please bring her and her keys here."

Sento stood up but the girl did not. She twisted her arms in front of her and pulled the chain out of Sento's hand. Causing the metal to give him minor cuts.

"Brat!" He screamed, but the girl merely cocked her left hip and pointed to herself.

"And are you going to introduce his gift?" She asked sharply. Sent glared at her and then he turned to Hiashi.

"Tenten, umm Tenten…" Sento stammered.

"That's right; tell him I have no sir name." The girl, Tenten, snapped. She was fumbling with her chains. Sento held up the key, and Tenten held up the cuffs, which she then dropped to the floor. Her wrists were chafed and bloody from struggling on the cuffs for so long.

"How did you!?" Sento asked. Tenten didn't answer him. She merely sat cross-legged on the floor and began to look around.

"You may go now Sento." Hiashi told the baffled guard. Sento picked up the cuffs and walked out the door, not before turning and smirking at the girl.

'Poor poor princess, these people are proper, and you are not, when they kick you out, I will be waiting.' Were the thoughts running through his evil mind.

"Would you like to go and dress in something more comfortable?" Hiashi asked the young girl. She looked at her dress and then back at him.

"Yes sir,"

"Hinata, will you take her to an available room and give her something else to wear? And send a medic to look at her wrists." Hiashi told the eldest girl. She nodded and ran up to Tenten.

"Th-this way please." Hinata began to walk, and Tenten fell in line with her. As soon as they were out of sight, Hanabi turned to her father.

"What are you going to do now dad?" Hanabi asked her father in a slightly cynical voice. She had her small arms crossed over her pale blue dress. Her hair was in a braid, which Hiashi tugged on before saying,

"She would make a good attendant to someone," He said. But Hanabi held up her hands in protest.

"But who?" Hanabi said loudly, "Hinata-Chan has Alice. I have Rebecca, and you have Peter! Who is left!?"

"I can think of someone."

Hinata led Tenten down several hallways. Looking out the windows they passed, Tenten saw a lovely garden. Someone stood in the middle of that garden, and looked like they were practicing some kind of dance or something.

"Th-this one is em-empty," Hinata's voice broke Tenten's eyes from the figure. She looked at the wooden door in front of her. Something in the back of her mind stabbed painfully into her empty memories.

She shook her head and followed the princess into the room. The room was average size. It had a bed by the window, a small door leading to Tenten guessed a bathroom. She also had a small couch and on that couch sat a book.

"I-I can get that out of your way." Hinata said. Tenten grabbed the book before Hinata could, and flipped the book to the title.

"A simple guide to self defense," Tenten read. She glanced up at Hinata and saw the girl gaping at her. "What?"

"You can read?" Hinata asked. Tenten blinked once or twice and then said,

"I guess I can." She handed the book over to Hinata, before stepping back into the hallway. Hinata followed close behind her.

"Whose rooms are they?" Tenten asked, pointing to the two doors down the hall on ether side of her room.

"The red wood door is my room." Hinata said calmly. But then she fidgeted as she faced the door made of dark wood, "That is my cousin's room. But he doesn't use it much."

'He?' Tenten thought. A hate swelled up right away. She didn't recall much about her life, but she knew men were not to bet trusted. She turned to Hinata and smiled. "I think I am going to go change now, okay?" Hinata nodded, as she turned to walk away, she said,

"Come back to the throne room when you are done, okay?" Tenten nodded.

"HINATA!!!" Hanabi squealed as soon as her sister entered the throne room.

"What?" She asked her bouncing sister. The girl breathed deeply before saying,

"Dad is going to make Tenten-san an attendant and he said she will be attending to-" The small girls voice trailed off as she looked at the girl behind her sister. Hinata turned also and her hand flew to her mouth.

Tenten wore the pants that they had never seen before. She wore a regular white shirt that was made to be worn under a dress. She had a bit of black fabric around her waist and her hair was up in identical twin buns.

"Where did you get the pants?" Hinata asked, getting over her shock.

"I found a ripped skirt in the closet, so I sewed them up." She ajusted the fabric belt. "This was what was left over." Tenten told her matter of factly.

"I never saw a girl in pants before!" Hanabi said excitedly. She grabbed Tenten's hand and led her over to her father, who had been dozing in his chair. "Papa!" Hanabi said, causing Hiashi to jump.

"What are you wearing little one?" Hiashi asked Tenten. She rolled her eyes and said,

"Same as you sir, pants." She did not seem to enjoy being asked simply questions. He felt her aura; it was tainted with hate, but was still amazingly calm.

"Yes, I see. Well, you will be an attendant. An atten-" Hiashi began

"I know what an attendant is," Tenten snapped. She folded her arms and scowled. "I don't know how I know, but I do!"

Hiashi merely waved it off. He assumed being treated like dirt all her life must be the reason for her attitude. 'A few weeks with all of us and she will be a happy, loving girl.' He told himself. Then he told her,

"You will find the person out in the garden. Hanabi will show you the way." Hiashi indicated with his eyes that they could leave. Tenten marched out of the room, the little princess on her heels.

"Strange girl," Peter said from his post. Hiashi nodded. "She won't get along very well with him sir,"

"I know, but maybe her attitude will help him become a tad more," Hiashi paused as he tried to think of the correct word. "Friendly."


	3. I won't do it

Hexx: Hi Hi! Yes I know we did not do our little thing at the end of last chapter. But _someone_ broke the mike!

Blue: I didn't know that dumping water on a mike would burn it out.

Kin: Yes you did! You took electrical engineering last years!

Blue: So?

Hexx: GIRLS! Achem now we get into the story at a point were Hanabi is taking Tenten to see the person she will be serving. Who will that be? Oh I know u guys know, but do Blue or Kin? No.

Kin: SHE WONT TELL US!

Hexx: Because you 2 r idiots if you don't know!

Blue: Whatever, heres Lee.

Hexx: Hi Lee! Now say your line or go for another dip with the little scaly babies.

Lee: Hexx-Chan dose not own Naruto.

Hexx: Good boy, now ON WITH THE SHOW!

**I won't do it!**

Hanabi had reached Tenten and was now leading her towards the garden she had admired earlier. Hanabi looked at the girl with interest. She was like nothing any of them had EVER seen.

"How was life in the Kingdom of the Rose?" Hanabi asked. She watched as Tenten's shoulders tensed.

"I don't remember," Tenten said. She quickened her pace as she saw a door that clearly lead outside.

"How old are you?" Hanabi said, jogging to keep up.

"16."

"Oh! Hinata is 15, I am 12 and N-" Hanabi began; she ran into the wall and stopped talking. Tenten didn't stop. She glanced over her shoulder before calling,

"I know were I am going, don't worry." She opened the door and stepped out into the sunshine.

Hanabi sat up and rubbed her nose. Suddenly she felt her stomach sink, "its Monday, isn't it?"

Tenten walked around the garden. Half heartedly searching for her new 'boss'. She didn't notice the wire across the path until someone grabbed her around the middle and yanked her backwards. She felt herself falling slightly, and then landing on the hard ground.

"Hey!" She shouted. She opened her eyes and saw two feet in front of her. Her eyes followed the feet up to a head. A young boy, about her age, stood in front of here. His arms were crossed and his pale eyes bore into her with anger.

"Don't you know what day it is?" He hollered at her. He made no move to help her, not that Tenten would have let him if he had. She stood up and brushed herself off. She then ignored the boy's question and began to walk away.

His hand shot out and grabbed her upper arm, causing her to stop. "I asked you a question." He said. Tenten spun around and grabbed his hand and tried to pry it off her arm. She glared into his eyes before saying,

"It's Monday, now let go of me! I have to go find my new boss." She struggled agenst his hand but he only gripped harder. Then he let go and watched her pull away. She turned and again began to walk off again.

"Tenten-Chan! Neji-nii-san!" Hanabi's voice came from the direction Tenten had been headed. Hanabi ran through the garden, watching the ground carefully. Tenten relished that more of that wire must be around.

"What is it Hanabi?" The boy asked. His long brown/black hair whipping with the wind. Hanabi bowed slightly before pulling Tenten back over to the boy.

"Neji-nii-san, this is Tenten. She was sent here from the kingdom of rose. And-" Hanabi began but Neji cut her off sharply.

"Please Hanabi, I must finish training, just what is the point?" He asked. Tenten scoffed at his words and he glared at her.

"Nii-san, Tenten is now, by my father's orders, your new attendant." Hanabi said this and then started to run away, she knew the bomb was about to go off.

"HIM!" Tenten screamed, pointing at the long haired paled eyed Hyuuga.

"She is my what?" Neji called after her, but Hanabi was already gone.

"I won't do it!" Tenten said. Neji turned to face her. She put her hands on her hips and said it again. "I won't do it."

Neji smirked idly at her. Her face became red with anger. "What!" She screamed at him.

"I heard a slave girl was sent to my Uncle. I just didn't believe it." Neji began to untie the wire that stretched across the path. "Did he free you?"

Tenten blinked, before crossing her arms. "I don't know, he didn't **say** anything about it." Neji rose and placed the wire in his jacket pocket.

"Then you are still a slave, and so you are bond to do as I say." Neji smirked and watched her get angry all over again.

"I do not!"

"Yes you do, technically speaking; my uncle _gave_ you to me." Neji told her, as he leaned agenst a tree and watched his words sink in.

"He, I, but" The girl stammered. She then crossed her arms and walked over to him. She flashed her brown eyes in his direction before asking him, "Why did you grab me earlier?"

Neji pulled the wire out of his jacket. He handed it to her before saying, "If you had tripped on that, you would have lost your feet." Tenten ran the wire across a rock and widened her eyes as the rock split in two.

"Every Monday I practice setting up traps. But you interrupted me, so I had to stop you." He explained. Tenten tossed her head defiantly and told him,

"I would have rathered to die then to be saved by the likes of you." Neji raised an eyebrow and moved closer to her, taking the wire from her hands.

"Why on earth are you in pants?" He asked her, as he began to walk around the garden collecting more wires. He pulled explosive tags off of rocks and from walls. Tenten followed him.

"Because I can." Came her answer. Neji smirked. She felt his smirk even when she couldn't see it. She ran up to him, grabbed his shoulder and turned him to face her. Sure enough he was smirking, but it was now a surprised smirk.

"What are you-" Neji said. Tenten then poked his forehead before saying,

"Don't smirk at me! I am _not _someone you can smirk at!" Tenten hissed at him. Then she let out a yelp as Neji pushed her to the ground. He had her pinned on the stone pathway as he sat above her. She struggled agenst his weight to no avail.

"Now can I smirk at you? Since I have you and you are unable to stop me?" Neji smirked at her anyway. She spat in between his eyes, and then smirked back.

"You are one annoying girl." Neji told her, as he released her arms in order to wipe his face. She pushed him off of her and sat up.

"And you are one arrogant boy!" Tenten replied. "What are you doing anyway? Trying to catch mice?" She heard Neji scoff at her lack of intelligence.

"I am training to be a ninja." He told her. She raised an eyebrow and tilted her head.

"Oh really? How good are you?" She asked.

"Real good." He answered. He stood up and offered his hand, which she ignored. "Grab that bag for me and come on." He told her.

She did as she was told. They soon came to a large tree with a wooden target in it. Neji took the bag from her and opened it, puling out several kurini.

When Tenten saw the ninja tools, her face palled. Something in the back of her mind stabbed at her heart. She saw images flash in her head. Images she could not place. A man in a rose garden. Dead. A kurini with his blood on it, found in a bush. She closed her eyes and shoved the images away. Where were they coming from?

Thunk! She opened her eyes. Thunk, thunk. Went the kurini. Neji was trying to hit the target. He came really close, but never quite hit the target. One kurini rolled out of the bag and dropped in front of Tenten. She widened her eyes, and picked it up.

THUNK! Went the kurini, Neji started at the weapon buried deep into the center of the target. He knew he hadn't thrown it. But who, he turned his head and saw Tenten starring at what she had done.

"Mitsuki," He heard her hiss. She started at the target with hate. She pulled it out of the tree, backed up to where he stood, and then spun and through. THUNK! Once again, it was dead center.

"Interesting." Neji said. He handed her another one. "Hit that apple," He said pointing into the tree. She tossed it without much care, and split the apple in two. The kurini feel from the tree and Neji chough it. He tossed it back to her. "How good are you fighting skills?"

"Okay," She said. Tenten had only fought agenst Sento, and never with a weapon. Neji took an odd stance. He smirked at her before saying one word.

"Spar."

Hexx: Well, that's it for this chapter.

Blue: hn

Kin: Do I have to?

Hexx: Yes.

Kin: sigh Hexx-sama will be contuing this story as soon as posable. She will be updating quite a bit in the begging, but updates may become slower as the story continues.

Blue: Next time, you get to witness a battle between the servant and master. And a very very annoying house guest.

Hexx: That's right, Jeanna!


	4. An annoying house guest

Hexx: Hi hi! I am on a roll right now…so I am just updating as fast as I can.

Sakura: Ummm, excuse me, why am I here.

Hexx: Oh! Just read this out loud, it explains everything.

Sakura: Okay, Hexx-Chan dose not own Naruto. What is this?

Hexx: A disclaimer.

Sakura: A what?

Hexx: Lee-kun!

Lee: SAKURA-CHAN!

Sakura: AGH!!!!!!!!!!

The annoying house guest.

"Spar?" Tenten repeated. She looked at her boss. 'He wants me to attack him?'

"It will help my ninja training to spar with someone." He said. He smirked before saying. "If you don't think you can handle it,"

Tenten tossed the kurini at his head. "I can handle it." He dodged it and then dodged her as she charged.

She lunged at his middle, trying to knock the wind out of him. He dodged that and hit her hard on the back of her neck. Causing her to stumble forward. He took that chance to plunge his hand into her stomach, knocking the wind out of _her_.

"Ugh," She mumbled as she jumped back from him. He returned to his stance and watched her with his gray eyes. She went left, then right before dropping on the ground and did a sweeping kick at his ankles.

He leapt out of the way, only to feel her foot collide with his back. 'How did she do that?' He wondered. She kept coming, and he did to. The battle went on for a long time. Tenten was battered around, but she never stopped fighting. It made her angry to see how Neji was unaffected by her attacks.

It was begging to get dark, and Neji saw this as his way to a win. 'After all,' he thought. 'Just because I can see in the dark and she can't doesn't mean I shouldn't use that particular trait.'

"Hey, crap, were did you go?" He heard her mutter angrily. He could see her fumbling around in the dark. She tripped over a rock and landed on her stomach. Neji took that as his chance. He rushed out form his hiding spot, grabbed one of her wrists, and held a kurini to her throat. He felt her take a sharp breath as she realized what he had done.

"Kustu," She pulled agents his hold. But he just pulled her closer before whispering in her ear,

"I win." She sucked in her breath and stopped resisting. He released her right away and she quickly put distance between them. She stumbled around in the dark but made her way back to the door to the castle. Neji watched her stumble over _every_ rock and _every_ tree root.

"Neji," She called from the door. She had remembered her duties and decided to perform them. "Do you require anything of me before bed?"

"No, but I will need you in the morning," He replied. She couldn't see his face, but he could see hers. And the grimace she wore was as plan as day. She pulled open the door, and then called to him,

"I won't lose again." He could hear the pride in her voice. Neji, being Neji decided to shoot it out of her.

"Yes you will."

THUNK! Neji's eyes widen as a fork embeds itself into the tree beside him. He looks back at the girl, who smirks her own little smirk at him, before pulling the door closed.

"Do we have to wake her?" Tenten heard a soft voice in her room. She didn't open her eyes; she just lay still and listened.

"Yes, but if she attacks us like she attacked Neji, then we run, okay?" A male's voice said. Tenten decided to make thing easier on them, so she just sat up and stretched.

"Oh, she is up." The first voice said. Tenten blinked and found herself facing Peter and Rebecca. They stood at her bedside, looking down at her. She glanced at the clock, and then fell out of her bed.

"6:30!?" Tenten said. She grabbed her shirt and began to rush around her small room. "Why did I sleep in this late? I have to get ready for, for," She stopped running around, and looked confused. She turned to the very confused Peter and Rebecca. "Ummm, why am I up?"

"Because, everyone gets up this early." Rebecca answered. Tenten began to change with them still in the room. Rebecca gasped and babbled some things about 'being lady like' While Peter left the room.

"Your job is to go wake, Neji-san up from his room," Rebecca told her. Tenten stopped when she heard this. She turned to look at the woman with scorn filled eyes.

"You want me to go in there?" She asked. Rebecca nodded.

"As his attendant, it is your duty."

Tenten walked out her door, turned and walked to Neji's. She knocked on his door. And waited. When nothing happened, she turned the knob.

"Neji? You in here?" She called from the door. She stepped in and the stopped short.

The room was filled with books and papers and had a wise feel to it. Tenten grabbed the side of her head as more odd images flooded her mind.

Pictures of a young girl and the man from the garden in a similar room. The girl on the man's lap, reading the book he held. A woman, all dressed in navy blue, coming to take the child to her own room.

Tenten opened her eyes and jumped back in surprise, on to find she was staring at her reflection. Her twin buns and her eyes both matched the dark woods of the room. She then shook her head and pushed the images aside for later. She carefully stepped around things, making her way deeper into the room.

"Neji? Hey, Neji were are you?" She called. She got to a door, and then knocked on it as well. She heard o mumbling, and then the door opened.

Neji stood before her, dressed for the day, his toothbrush in his mouth. He blinked at her, and then he closed the door.

"Good to see you're up sir." Tenten yelled through the door. "I have NO IDEA what I am supposed to do, so I assume you just tell me what you need."

The door reopened and Neji walked out. He turned to face his new 'attendant' and said, "I see you have a problem with skirts."

"Yes, a very big one. Now what do you need from me?"

Neji started stone faced at the girl. She crossed her arms and started right back.

"I need you to go away. I would really love it if you went back to your old home." Neji told her.

"I would really love that too, but I can't." She told him. He didn't ask for an explanation, but she gave one anyway. "A: because I have no idea about anything about my life in that kingdom, and two, a psycho man is outside waiting to kill me if I try to leave."

Neji looked at her with a slightly confused face. But the face mostly said he didn't care. After all, he didn't know her or care about her. If she died, oh well, people die everyday.

It's called nature.

Then she said something that kind of shocked him.

"I hate you, and yet I know nothing about you."

He looked at her. He could actually feel her hate dripping off of her. He smirked, knowing that at least they shared their despise of one another.

He turned to leave, and she followed him. He walked down the hall, so did she. He walked out the front door, she stopped short.

"Hey, wait, where the hell are you going?" Tenten called after him People working all looked at her. People did not talk to Neji that way, his temper was quite short.

"I have to go to the academy," Neji told her. He said it as if she was a complete and total baka. He faced the brown haired girl and said, "Just stay here and try not to hurt yourself."

"I can handle myself just fine thank-you!" Tenten snapped at him. Then she turned, tripped over the carpet. Got back off, and walked away without dusting off.

And Neji just shook his head. "Klutz."

Tenten walked aimlessly around the castle. She had no idea where she was supposed to be or what she was supposed to do. She found herself back out in the garden. She checked the ground for wires, and then sat down on a bench under a large oak tree.

"My life for the knowledge of what the hell I am here for." Tenten told herself. She wished she could be with her mother. Then she wished she knew who her mother was. Then she wished she knew ANYTHING about her life.

"CAN ANYONE TELL ME WHAT AN ATTENDENT IS SUPPOSED TO FREAKING DO!?!" She screamed at the sky. She buried her head in her arms and breathed deeply. A movement at her side caused her to glance in that direction.

She turned her head, and came face to face with very large eyes, and very thick eyebrows. She blinked once, then twice, and then she smacked the face out of her way. She looked at Neji and then at the person sitting now on the ground.

He wore what looked like green pants and a green shirt. He had orange leg warmers on his, well duh, legs. His hair was in a big black bowl cut.

'She handled that better the Hinata and Hanabi did. They both screamed and fainted.' Neji thought. Tenten just stabbed her toe into the boy's chest to see if he was alright.

"Hey, green bean, wake up." Tenten said. When the boy bounced up with a huge smile on his face, she winced as his teeth blinded her. She hated the guy already.

"YOSH! I have never seen a girl with such a powerful hit! Neji-kun! You were wrong when you called her a pest! She is quite a strong little flower!" The boy bounced up and down with an enthusiasm that Tenten had never seen.

Or, at least she was pretty sure she had never seen.

"Lee, you have only met her, I can assure you. She is a pest and a klutz." Neji told the overjoyed green bean.

"Klutz!" Tenten shouted. She stood, pushed Lee out of the way, and marched up to Neji. "You think I am a klutz?"

"From you little 'trip' this morning I don't think, I know." Neji told her. Tenten's eyes flamed as she snapped,

"I am quite aware of the fact that you don't think, but we are not discussing you brain problems right now!" Neji glared at her after that little comment. He looked her in the eye and said,

"Tenten, me and my," He looked at Lee with slight disgust before contuing, "_friend_, would like you to GO THE HELL AWAY."

"Gladly," She snapped. As she turned to leave, Lee said,

"Oh I don't mind Neji-kun. She can stay."

Tenten stopped and tilted her head.

"No, she can go." Neji told Lee.

"If you want her here Neji-kun, then don't mind me!" Lee smiled brightly.

"You are rather thick aren't you?" Tenten asked him. He only smiled back.

'That could get annoying really fast.' She decided.

"I don't want her here Lee." Neji told him. He turned to Tenten and said, "Rebecca is free right now, go bother her or something."

"Fine." Tenten said. "Maybe she can tell me what the hell I'm supposed to do." She stormed off to find Rebecca, scaring the life out off two gardeners.

Lee watched the girl stalk off, and watched the gardeners pick up their tools and shakily get back to work.

"I like her!' Lee told Neji.

"You really _are_ thick aren't you?" Neji asked him. Lee shrugged and kept moving.

"So you fight her with your words?" Lee asked him. Neji half nodded.

"And I spared with her last night."

"Really! YOSH! How much training did she have?"

"To my knowledge, none."

"SUPER YOSH! She must come and spar with us!" Lee said joyfully. That only got him a hard smack on his head from Neji.

"No, just think of her as…as a very annoying house guest."

Hexx: Okay, I think that chapter well, umm SUCKED!

Blue: It was a dull part of the story, it get's better.

Kin: Hey, what did you want me to do with this box?

Hexx: Put it there,

Kin: What is it?

Blue: Next chapters declaimer.

Kin: Oh….


	5. Leave me be!

Hexx: Hi hi! It is time for our next chapter! And we have a special person to read our disclaimer this time!!! YEAH!

Kin: He escaped again.

Hexx: WHAT!?

Blue: He keeps escaping.

Hexx: Fine forget it, I do not own Naruto. Now on with the show!

Kin: And….

Hexx: And I am aware that I was spelling Kunai, Kurini. My bad.

**Leave me be!**

Tenten had found Rebecca in the kitchen. And Rebecca had told her how she should behave. Tenten was not too thrilled about it.

"I am expected to behave as a, as a," Tenten fought herself trying to find the correct word. "As a jaded dog!"

Rebecca stepped back. She had never heard anyone about their job in that way. 'But I suppose, being forced into work instead of wiling into it, has that affect on people.'

Tenten sat on the ground of the kitchen, and traced a finger around the tiles. She closed her eyes and soothed her anger. She decided that she would do her duty, but only her duty and nothing more.

She rose from the ground, folded her hands in front of her, and walked out of the room.

"I have a feeling that we might have a problem on our hands." Rebecca told Maria, the cook.

"I like her," Maria said. "This castle could use a little trouble."

She had no idea.

Neji and Lee finished their sparing match, and then found glasses of water waiting on a table in the garden. The fact that the table was not there earlier confused them.

They found no note or anything. And Lee happily drank the water. Neji was not so sure. Lee did not seem to care that he had lost to Neji, or that water and a table had come out of nowhere.

When Lee went to leave, he found his things by the door, in a neat stack and ready for him. Again, Lee found this to be fine, and it made Neji suspicious.

When Neji came to his room, he found his door opened. He flexed his hand and gripped a kunai in his hand. He opened the door all the way, and went in.

His room was cleaned. The papers were stacked, the books were shelved. His bed was made and, he blinked and walked over.

Tenten was half under the bed, moving something and cursing as she worked. Neji blinked, and then nudged her leg with his foot. Causing her to jump, while still under the bed and hit her head, hard.

"OW! For the love of god, what now!" She said. She rolled onto her back and slid out from under the bed. She had a very red forehead, indicating that was _not_ the first time she had hit her head.

She looked up at him, and he looked down at her. She was covered with dust bunnies, and dirt. She had smudges on her face and she looked like she belonged in a chimney with a broom, rather then under a bed.

"Can I help you?" She asked in a sarcastic sweet voice.

"What are you doing?" He asked her, not really caring, just wanting her to leave.

"Working." She slid back under the bed, and then came back out with a…..

"Spatula?" Neji said. He looked at the cooking utensil in her hand.

"Yes."

"Why do you have it?"

"I was killing dust bunnies."

"Then why are they all over you?"

"They revolted sir."

Neji looked at Tenten with a cold stare. She looked 100 serious. She stood up, and then said,

"If that is all you will require sir, I will be outside awaiting your attack." She turned to leave when he said,

"What attack?"

"I told you I wouldn't lose again, how can I prove that if you don't fight me?"

"Fine."

Tenten breathed heavily as she hid behind a tree. Blood was trickling form beneath her hair. She glared at the Hyuuga, who was completely unscathed and was breathing normally.

'I can't take this! How can he not be tired?' She thought. She closed her eyes and then had an idea. She snatched a tree branch, and then untied her belt.

Neji stood in the path, seemingly unscathed. But inside, he was living in mental hell.

'How is the name of the gods has she lasted this long?' He screamed. 'Especially with that head wound.' Neji's eyes suddenly saw a kunai coming at him out of the dark.

He dodged it and the hit the hilt, attempting to catch it, when he saw it was tied to a black felt strip. His eyes didn't see it fast enough. The fabric wrapped around his arm and then another kunai, tied to the other end, jabbed into his arm.

'Kustu!' He thought, he yanked the kunai out easily, since it had not gone very deep. Then he turned, and was bopped on the forehead with a stick. He blinked once then twice, and then he lunged into a bush.

Tenten was not expecting him to jump into her hiding spot. Nor for him to grab her arm and twist it until she fell flat, and then tie her hands with her own belt. And he had done it so fast that, one minute he had been in the clearing, and now he was smirking down at her.

"I win again," Neji told her. Tenten squirmed agenst her ropes. She sat up, and then surprised _him_.

"What the…?" Neji said. Tenten rolled forward, until her hands were on the ground, snatched one of the discarded kunai, and then stood up with it to Neji's neck.

"Don't get cocky, bastard." She told him. He did not appreciate the 'bastard' remark. He got angry, and then….

"Ugh," She said, blood spilling from her mouth onto the dirt ground. His hand rested flat on her stomach, but the pain she felt was more then a simple tap could have caused. She stumbled backwards, her hands still tied. She tripped over a stone bench and landed with her back on the ground and her knees and lower legs still on the bench.

"You probably can't move now," She heard his voice but couldn't see him, it was to dark. She then felt him beside her, lifting her into a seated position on the bench. She tensed at his hands on her hips, but relaxed as his hand moved up towards her wrists.

"I'm fine." She lied. Her body felt like millions of needles, jabbing her all at once. But she wasn't going to let _him_ know that.

"How did you do that?" She asked him, as he untied her hands for her. His eyes were the only things she could see, and they shown like twin moons.

"Did what?"

"You know very well what. That technique you used on me, just now." She felt his hands stop moving for a slight second, before they began their work once more.

"It's a secret Hyuuga family ability." He told her.

"Dose it have anything to do with your eyes?"

"Everything."

By this time he had untied her, and was standing up, ready to help her into the building. But she didn't take his hand. She stood up and moved along that path to the door slowly. He walked up behind her, and tried to help her, but she only jerked out of his grasp.

"Let me be!"

He started at her, as she pressed her back agenst the wall. She looked at his door.

"Go in," She said. Neji raised an eyebrow,

"Do you not want me to know where you sleep?" He asked her. She made a tching sound before saying,

"I don't want to have to worry about a kunai at my throat if fewer people know where I sleep." She told him. He smirked at her and she spat at him.

"Just leave me be."

Hexx: And that concludes this times chapter.

Kin: Hey Hexx-sama,

Hexx: Yes?

Kin: Where is Blue-Chan?

Hexx: Getting next times disclaimer reader.

Kin: Oh,

BOOM!

Hexx: Sounds like she got em.

Kin: Yeah…..


	6. Damn right

Hexx: Hello! We have an extremely special disclaimer reader for you today!

Kin: All the way from the end of Blue-Chan's shotgun!

Hexx: Yes, We have, Sauske Uchiha!

Sauske: WHAT THE HELL!!!!

Hexx: Hello, little ninja!

Sauske: We are the same age damn it!

Hexx: This is the "I-don't-give-a-shit-face."

Blue: Now shut-up and read this.

Sauske: No.

Hexx: Two words Sauske, Lee and Yaoi.

Sauske: Hexx dose not own Naruto.

Hexx: And also, if you have noticed that the story seems to skip around, I had lines to separate them, but fan fiction deleted them. I can fix it and repost it if you want me to.

**Damn Right**

As soon as Tenten was in her room, and her door was locked tight, she dropped to her knees and let out a soft scream. Her body felt like it was burning from the inside. She pulled of her shirt, which was smudged from the dirt, and let it fall limply to the floor.

She looked at her stomach and expected to see a burn mark there, but there was none. 'How? How in hell's name, can he make me in this much pain, and not leave a mark?' She let out a heavy sigh, before dressing for bed. She carefully slid into her bed and felt sleep take over almost instantly.

In his own room, Neji thought about what he had done. 'She could die,' he thought. 'She had no chakra, all I did was hit her organs, she will probably die in the night.' He ran a hand over his head. 'How am I going to explain that to Uncle?'

He shook it off and told himself.

'She said she wanted to die. So let her.'

……………………………………………………………………………………………

Neji awoke the next morning to a pounding on the door.

"NEJI!! WAKE UP DAMN IT!! I WILL BREAK DOWN THIS DOOR IF YOU DON'T GET THE HELL UP RIGHT NOW!!!!" He heard Tenten and smirked. He planed on taking his time getting ready and then opening the door to a disheveled girl.

He narrowed his eyes as his ears picked up on her sharply taking in breath. He heard someone mobbing up the hall and then heard a female voice say,

"Tenten, are you alright? Do you want me to get a medic?"

"No, no, I am fine Alice, you just go get Hinata."

"Okay, if you're sure…" Neji heard Alice move away from his door. He walked over do his door, opened it as she was banning on it.

At first all Tenten knew was that she was falling, so she put her right arm over her face to protect it from her fall. Then she stopped in mid-fall, and felt a pain in her left arm.

"Klutz," She heard Neji say. She dropped her right arm from her face to look at him. He was gripping her left arm hard, preventing her fall.

"Am not." She told him. She glared at him as he stood her up. He closed his door and glared at her. "What?"

"Did you see a medic last night?" He asked her. She looked him in the eye.

"No."

"Why?"

"Because. I am perfectly fine." She answered him.

"You're not only a klutz; you're a bad liar too." He told her. He walked into his bathroom and grabbed a pill box. He returned and handed one to her.

"What is this?" She said. She looked at the tiny round pill in her hand and then at Neji.

"It will help heal your organs after that hit you took." He told her. She rolled her eyes and handed it back.

"I don't want it."

Neji felt very angry with her by this point. The fact that she had not gotten herself checked out, AND that she now would not let him help her was a tad to much for him.

"Hey, what are you….Neji stop!"

He forced the pill into her mouth and clamped his hand over her mouth tightly. His free hand held one of her wrists, which he twisted sharply when she struggled.

"Swallow it." He told her. Her eyes told him defiance and he pressed her back to the wall and pushed her head into it. "I am trying to help you! Now, SWALLOW it!"

She shook her head, and then winced at the pain in her hand. She swallowed the tiny brown pill, and felt him relax. He let go of her, and she rubbed her wrist.

"God Neji, you trying to kill me?"

"It would be easier then helping you."

"Damn right."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

She had gotten into a habit, almost a rhythm since her first day. She did what Neji asked of her until he left. As soon as he was gone, she did her chores, and ignored the world. People left her alone, like she wanted and she just did as she saw fit.

Hinata and Hanabi sat in one of the many sitting rooms, sewing and chatting politely. They cast their eyes softly at the girl who sat in the chair nearby, reading her book.

She sat with one of her legs over the arm of the chair, her left arm under her head with her elbow on the chairs other arm. The book she was reading's title was hiding from the two girls.

"Tenten-san?" Hanabi said. The girl lifted her eye to look at the two princesses.

"Hm?"

"What are you reading?"

"A book." Tenten smirked slightly, she enjoyed watching little Hanabi ask her questions without really hearing the answers.

"Oh, is it any good?"

"Hai."

"Did Neji-nee-san give you any work today?"

"No."

"Do you want to help me?"

Tenten looked up from her pages again and looked at Hanabi. She sat on the couch, her light green dress hanging by her ankles. Hinata never looked up, but had stopped stitching to hear Tenten's response.

"If I must," Tenten began, but Hanabi said,

"Only if you want to, nii-chan."

Tenten and Hinata both looked at the young girl. Hanabi started blankly at them, and then reliving her mistake, covered her mouth.

"**Sumimasen! Sumimasen Tenten-san!" Hanabi bowed her head at the older girl and felt her pale face redding.**

**"It's okay, Hanabi-sama." Tenten said. She closed her book and stood to leave. Before she did she said, "What was it you needed?"**

**"I can't get this seem right, and since you made your pants, I thought…."**

**"You are stitching to deeply, stitch closer to the base of the fabric." **

**"Shai, Tenten-san." **

**"Forget about it." And then she left.**

**Her routine was simple. Do one thing until it was interrupted, and then go on to the next thing. She placed the book back on the table beside the door, and then walked away. As soon as she got around the corner, she leaned on the wall and listened to Hinata scolding Hanabi.**

**"You have upset her! She is trying to settle into her new life, and what is she WAS a nii-chan? You might have made her remember her family!"**

**"No worries there." Tenten muttered. "Not a single memory of them comes to mind."**

**(Blue: Authors notes, Shai: thanks, slang form. Sumimasen: Sorry. Get it? Got it? Good.)**

**………………………………………………………………………………………………**

**"Tenten!" She heard her name and stopped short. She had been on her way to the armory to look at the many medieval weapons, when she heard Alice calling her from behind.**

**"Hai?"**

**"Hiashi-sama would like you to take this to the academy." **Alice told her. She held out an envelope with the Hyuuga seal on it. Tenten took it gingerly in her small hands and then looked at the woman in front of her.

"Where is the academy?" Tenten asked. She had felt like ignoring the request, but the idea of leaving the castle, even for a little, interested her.

After Alice gave her directions, Tenten set off. She walked slowly, taking in the sights of the town. She found it quite nice. She closed her eyes and let the wind blow over her bangs.

But she soon reached her destination. She was tired, out of breath and receiving many odd looks from the people of the town. She scowled at them and they looked away. She slowly went up to the door, and then she heard sounds from around the back of the building.

"Yosh!"

Tenten winced at that. The voice stuck in her ears. 'This is defiantly the right place.' She told herself. She walked around the side of the building to take a look.

She saw several aproxametly, eight boys, standing around in a dirt yard. Well, not exactly standing, more like trying to knock each others heads off. Tenten recognized Lee right off the bat. Then she spotted Neji engaged in battle with a boy with short black hair.

"TENTEN-CHAN!!!" Lee yelled suddenly. He hugged the girl, as his sparing partner, a boy with yellow hair and an annoying voice yelled at him to come back. Everyone had stopped to look at Lee and his 'new friend.'

Tenten winced as the green boy hugged her. "Hey Lee," She said.

"Hai?"

Tenten made a fist, hauled back, and punched Lee right in his face. The green ninja-in-training flew back from the hit and crashed into his teammate.

"Don't touch me."

"Got it." Lee said as he lifted his hand in a thumbs up, before dropping it down.

She glanced at Neji and saw him glaring daggers at her. 'Boy am I gonna get it when he gets home.' Tenten thought.

"I have something for the person in charge." She said, holding up her envelope. A boy with wild brown hair and red triangles on his face looked up from examining Lee and the other boy.

"You mean Iruka-sensi?" He tossed his head back to a boy with dark glasses, "Oi, Shino, go get him will ya?"

The boy, Shino, left the yard and entered the building. Tenten shifted uncomfortably, as all of them started at her. She backed up until her back gently hit the wall; she then leaned on it and acted as if none of them were there.

She imagined their thoughts.

'Who is she? Why is she wearing pants? How dose she know Lee? Why is she here?' She smirked slightly as she thought of the fact that Neji now wanted to kill her on the spot. She crossed her legs and slid down the wall into a sitting position.

She closed her eyes, and then opened them as she heard someone walk over to her. She looked up to face the boy Neji had been fighting. He glared at her, and she glared back.

"Why are you here?" He demanded.

"Why doses you hair look like a duck's butt?" She snapped. The other boys all glanced at each other, and then back at her.

"What did you say?" He asked her. His hands were balled into fist now.

"What, are you hard of hearing to?" She asked him. He glared daggers into her even deeper. She sighed, and then stood up.

"No, but I think you are hard of manners." The boy told her. He was taller then her, but Tenten just tilted her head back to look him in his black eyes.

"Damn right I am."

(Hexx: Let's just zip into Neji's head shall we?)

'That baka! If Sauske doesn't kill her, I will.' Neji seethed as he watched his attendant, stand up to his rival.

She looked so odd standing there. Her black heelless boots and her black pants. Her white shirt with the black strap. And her damn hair. She looked like a goddamn panda!

He knew Sauske would knock her senseless without a second thought. He wondered if he should step in.

'That would mean having to explain how I know the little twit.' He reminded himself. He looked back at the two, who were now eye to eye. 'She can handle herself.'

Just as he thought it, Sauske got angry. He went to kick her, and she darted behind him and kicked him in the small of his back, hard.

"What is going on out here? What happened to Lee and Naruto? And who are you? Sauske get up off the ground."

(Lets teleport back to Tenten now.)

A man with tan skin stood by the door. He had his hair up in a spiky ponytail. A long scar was across his nose. He walked over to Tenten, and Tenten placed her fists on her hips.

"Tenten."

"Tenten who?"

"I have no idea."

The man looked at her confused for a minute. Then he shook his head as if to clear it. "Why are you here?"

"I don't know much, but I do know it is rude to ask a name, and then not give one." Tenten answered. She saw Neji glare even harder at her. Some of the other boys were now mumbling to each other.

"I apologize miss, I am Iruka." He told her. He gave a short and quick bow, before repeating his question.

"I have to give you this." Tenten told him. She pulled the envelop out of her pocket and handed it to him.

As soon as the paper hit his hands she left. She walked out of the yard without a word or passing glance. She walked until she was out of sight. Then, she ran. But not from fear.

She ran and she laughed like she had just seen the funniest thing in her whole life. She didn't see the dark eyes of a familiar person staring at her, hating her as much as Sauske did.

The young shinobi all heard the sound. The sound of laughter. It was a laugh that reminded many of them of little bells ringing. It was different, for it laughed for the sake of laughter.

"She is defiantly something." Kiba said.

Lee and Neji both, at the same time, said the same thing, one out loud, and one to himself,

"Damn right."

Hexx: There ya go. That should keep you all nice and happy for a while.

Blue: What about a net.

Kin: We tried it.

Hexx: Updates may be very, very slow, do to blech school. Please forgive me!

Kin: What about a box?

Blue: We did that, remember?

Kin: Oh yeah…..

Hexx: Jenna!


	7. The rose on a chain

Hexx: Welcome to the next chapter of our little story! We have a lot to cover, so on to the disclaimer.

Gai: HELLO YOUTHFUL CHILDEREN!!

Hexx: Don't scare them away sensei, just read the paper…--;

Gai: OF COURSE HEXX-CHAN!!!

Blue: Baka.

Gai: HEXX-CHAN DOSE NOT OWN NARUTO-KUN!!!!!

Blue: Okay thanks for that Gai, now scram!

**The rose on a chain.**

Tenten had barley survived the beating she had gotten from Neji the night after her little 'visit' to his school. She had almost won that fight, but Neji won, thanks to the darkness and his eyes.

"You really pissed Sauske off, you know that?" Neji asked her from his spot. She lay on her back and breathed in deep rasps.

"Duck-boy? Yeah, I know." She turned her head to look at him. She gagged slightly on some blood, before struggling to sit up.

"Why? Why do you have to be so difficult?" He asked her. Neji watched her sit on her knees, before she crawled over to sit beside him.

"I don't know, I just feel the need to." She told him. She yawned and then flopped onto her back, staring at the sky. "Are there any girls at your school?"

"Not really, the only ones are there to learn how to heal, not fight." He told her. Neji smirked as she grimaced. They sat like that for a few more minutes, before he noticed she was asleep.

Sighing, he picked her up, and walked inside. 'Kustu, where the hell is her room?' Neji thought. He looked at the sleeping miss in his arms. Dried blood clung to her face, and bruises appeared on her arms. With another sigh, he took her into his room and placed her on his couch.

"You can sleep here I guess." He muttered to her. She promptly rolled off the couch, and then under the coffee table.

"Or you can sleep there."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Neji awoke to the sound of something solid hitting wood. Then he heard a steady stream of curses coming from a girl's voice. Neji took himself a moment to remember last night, and then looked over at the small table.

Tenten had clearly woken up, and not knowing where she was, sat up quickly, only to smack her head on the bottom of the table.

"Morning." Neji told her. She turned her head. And then pushed herself into a standing position.

"Yeah, yeah, morning and all that, how did I get here?" She asked him. One bun was down and the other was loose. Her shirt was twisted around her middle. All and all, she looked a mess.

"I put you there."

"You put me UNDER you table!?"

"No, I put you on the couch; YOU put yourself under my table."

"Oh…."

"Yeah…."

"I'm just gonna…" Tenten began to back towards the door, "go."

After the door closed firmly, Neji flopped back into his covers. But he didn't stay there for long. His door opened again and a pillow landed on his head.

"Nani!" He barked at her.

"Your gonna be late." Then she closed the door again.

(nani-what)

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"May I speak to you sir?"

Hiashi looked up from his papers. The new attendant, Tenten, stood at his door. She held the tea he had sent Peter to get.

"Certainly." He answered, puzzled to see her this polite.

After she had placed his tea on the desk, and had taken the seat offered to her, Hiashi asked, "What is it you need?"

Tenten shifted nervously before saying, "Am I still a slave?"

Hiashi closed his eyes and slowly sipped his tea. When he opened his eyes he said, "How long have you been here?"

"About a week and a half." She said quickly. Hiashi looked at her with soft eyes. 'Has she been counting her days?' he wondered. Setting down his cup he said,

"When Sento gave you to me, he did not give me your papers, nor did he even have them. I had to write to queen Mitsuki to have her send them. In almost two weeks time, they will arrive here, and I will sign them, then you will be free young one."

Tenten looked into her hands. 'On month….I will have been a slave with no will for one month.' She tells herself. She looked into the Ruler of kingdom of where she now sat. He smiled at her, and drank his tea.

"Sir?"

"Yes?"

"Will you keep me?"

Hiashi stopped and looked at her. She looked him in his white eyes and never faltered at his returning stare.

"What on this earth do you mean young one?"

"Will you keep me here; will I still have a job? Or can I leave?"

Hiashi considered her words. He looked at the girl, the one who gave every other lady and duchess a run for their money. She had the poise and grace of a royal, yet not the attitude. Yet she sat before him, as still as stone, and as polite as a flower, asking him about her _future_.

"I will have to let you choose, young one." Hiashi said finally. Tenten blinked at the response. She looked at her feet. Hiashi continued, "You could go home to your family if you wanted to."

"I don't have one." She whispered.

"Nani?" Hiashi blinked. Had he heard her right?

"Arigato for seeing me sir. I will get out of your way now." Tenten stood up briskly and marched herself out the door. She turned before the door closed, and gave a small curtsy.

………………………………………………………………………………………………**  
**

When Neji returned to the castle that afternoon, he saw Tenten walking down the hall, with a large pile of clothes in her arms.

His clothes.

"Where are you going?" He asked her as she past. She stopped and looked around, clearly not able to see him. He stepped into her range of sight and she blinked.

"Taking these to the washer."

"Fine, when you're done, meet me in the garden for our battle."

As he walked past her she made a little sound. He glanced at her and she said,

"Neji, why are we starting so early?"

He smirked at her, and her small mouth frowned at him. She rolled her eyes and kept moving down the hall.

"You always lose at night." He said. She stopped walking and looked back at him. She looked quite odd, in her black boots, brown pants and white shirt. Especially holding a pile of clothing.

"So?" She asked grumpily. She was never happy to be reminded of her defeats. In fact, it down right pissed her off.

"So maybe if we start earlier, you _might_ have a chance of scratching me." He stated smugly. She spat at him before she walked briskly down the hall.

'She always walks that way when she is mad.' He noted. He smirked. He found that she was quite amusing to him when she was mad.

As soon as Tenten deposited the clothes in the hands of the washer, she darted to the garden. She didn't see Neji, but she did see a kunai set waiting for her. As soon as she picked it up, Neji walked around the corner, rabbit in hand.

"Neji!" Tenten said sharply. He looked at her as she came over to him. "Let it go!"

"This?" He held up the bunny. She nodded her head and he shook his.

"Why?"

"It's part of the game."

"What game?"

"Mine." Neji smirked at her. He took a string, and tired it around the bunny's ears. The other end of the string held a bell. He then released it.

"What are you getting at?" Tenten demanded. He reached into his pocket, and held up another bell. She raised a slender eyebrow as he placed it around his neck.

"You get the light. But now there are two bells to distract you. Will you get me? Or that poor, helpless rabbit?"

Tenten widened her eyes. "That's not fair!" He smirked at her and disappeared.

Tenten looked around for him. She heard a bell from a bush. She hesitated to attack, and got a punch in the stomach.

"That's not how you play the game." He whispered in her ear as her chin landed on his shoulder. She grabbed his arm and twisted, causing herself to be propelled in a full circle, with her boot smashing hard into Neji's back.

"Crt," Neji let the odd sound escape his lips as he returned the favor with a kick to the back of her knees. When she rolled over, he was gone again.

"Kustu! Where did you go teme?" She sliced her eyes from side to side. Looking for the tell tail Hyuuga.

"Teme?" Neji swung down, his feet holding onto the tree branch. He grabbed her around her middle and heard her let out a little sheik. As he swung back up to a regular standing position, Tenten began to struggle; he dropped her out of the tree and watched her hit the ground on her back.

He jumped to the ground and stood beside her, looking down at her. She winced at the pain, but said nothing.

"I hate it when you call me that." He told her.

She smirked at him through her pain and said, "Then don't act like one."

Neji kicked her small form in the ribs; he heard a cracking and then regretted it. "Gomen." He said. She winced and held back tears of pain. She rolled over on her side, away from him, and came face to face, with a rose.

Neji watched as she pulled her knees to her stomach. She held one hand on each side of her head and her eyes were huge and vacant. He rolled her onto her back and she wrapped her arms around her knees and held tighter.

"Tenten? Can you hear me? Tenten? Tenten!"

(Teme-bastard, Gomen-sorry if you hurt someone the 'sorry' from last chapter meant if you hurt someone's feeling or interrupted something. Now, let's pop over to Tenten's POV)

She could hear Neji calling her, but she could do nothing. In her mind, many images, names, and faces flashed by at great speed. She felt small memories falling into place in her mind. She saw a horrifying image.

The lovely woman from her other visions was back. She lay in a large bed, looking deathly pale. She coughed into a fine white cloth. When the cloth left the mouth, it had speckles of dark red liquid on it.

Tenten felt her eyes well up with tears. The woman stroked a young girl on the head, and Tenten felt those strokes. Then, the woman spoke.

"I love you, my young rose." The woman coughed more, and the girl grabbed the woman's hand. Tenten clasped her hands over Neji's, unaware that they were his hands.

The woman placed something in the young girl's hands. The girl turned it over and gazed at a necklace. It was on a gold chain and had a white rose with her name on it.

"What is it Kaa-chan?"

"It is the family's heirloom. As long as you have it, you can never lose sight of who you are." Then the woman coughed so hard, that she gagged. Then the man from the earlier visions came and took the young girl away. The next and last thing Tenten saw of her vision was a white box, and people in black crying. A black rose was carved onto the white box's lid.

(Neji's POV)

"Tenten!" He yelled again. She was now squeezing the life out of his hand. Then she realised it, but her face stayed the same. Then suddenly, she sat up and made a gasping noise. She looked as if she needed air. As Neji thought about it, he realized that for that whole time she had not been breathing.

With one hand still resting on the ground, she placed the other hand over her face. Neji heard her cry a few words, but it didn't make sense to him.

"I had a mother…..was he my father? How did he….? Why did she….? Who am I?" She cried into her hand. She brought the other one up to her face as well.

"Tenten?" Neji asked. He wondered what had just happened. Had he caused it in some way? Had she hit her head harder then he thought when he dropped her? "Tenten?"

"The box…." Tenten whispered. He had no idea what she was saying. "She was in the box. It took her away….forever….."

"Tenten!" Neji grabbed her shoulders and shook her. She looked at him with red watery eyes. "What is wrong? Wha-"

SMACK!

He let go of her shoulders and she escaped his grasp. She ran inside the castle. She ran into her room, locked the door and slid under her bed.

She felt safe under the mattress, her body on the floor. She reached into her shirt and pulled out the necklace from her vision. She remembered how the first time she saw it was when she first remembered being awake.

As Mitsuki had slapped her in the face and sent her away with Sento, a red haired maid had slipped it into her hand. The maid's eyes had told her a story of one hundred sorrows and grief's.

"So that's what you are…" She whispered to the necklace. "You are my past."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Neji had gone to bed wondering what had happened. He slept roughly, and he woke at every noise. He felt paranoid.

'What, am I worried she is gonna try to strangle me in my sleep or something?' he mentally slapped himself. That didn't help so he physical slapped himself. That only made him recall the fear in her eyes right before she slapped him.

'Kustu'

"Neji?" He sat up quickly and reached for his kunai. He saw her sitting on the foot of is bed, looking at him. Her whole upper body was wrapped in band aids. She wore shorts and her hair was a tussled mess in a ponytail behind her head.

"Y-yes?" He said. Not sure of what else to say. She looked so sick sitting there. He saw that some of her band aids were red. He looked away.

"I had to return these." Tenten pressed the kunai set into his hands. He just tossed it back.

"Keep it. Practice when I'm not around." He said. She blinked her brown orbs at him.

"I hate you still, but I think I like you a little more then before." She told him. He nodded, still not looking at her. He felt something odd as she left his bed. He felt something small and cool slip into his hand.

"What is-?" He looked down. It was the silver ell, the one from the bunny. He looked at her. "Did you hunt that bunny down in the dark?"

"No,"

"No?"

"It was sitting on the step." With that she opened the door; she glanced over her shoulder at Neji. "Zen naito Neji-san."

After the door closed he said,

"Zen naito, Tenten."

Hexx: Wasn't that interesting!

Kin: Hay!

Hexx: Just to let you know, Zen-good, naito-night. So, Zen naito means good night!

Blue: We are using an online English to Japanese translator, if you're wondering.

Hexx: And now I bid you all Zen naito! laughs hysterically

Blue: SMACK Stuff it Hexx!  
Kin: Ouch…Hexx is now, uh, _sleeping_, so I will say good night readers! Thanks for joining us!


	8. So that's why

Hexx: Hola! Welcome to another chapter of the epic journey of Give my memory back!

Blue: And today we have a special guest to read the disclaimer.

Hexx: That's right! Come on out, Kiba!

Kiba: Where am I? I was under a tree, then there was a bright light, and now I am here.

Blue: You don't need to know. Read this and then you can go home.

Kiba: Okay, Hexx-sama dose not own Naruto. She dose own this paper.

Hexx: Okay, now let us begin!

**So that's why,**

_The third week in the month of Tenten's arrival. Neji had spared nightly with her, and she was getting quite kick ass. He had told her he was going to take a break for sparing to catch up on his other techniques. She had agreed, and left him alone from then on when he returned from school. With the exception on if he needed something._

Neji sat in his room. Reading his notes from class that day. He had just learned the Justus for teleporting short distances. He stood and decided to try it. He thought of where to go. He didn't think anyone had taken the room beside his, not since the seamstress decided to live in the town and commute weekly to the castle.

He thought about it. No one had _informed_ him that the room was being used. So he decided to teleport there.

He stood, and performed the appropriate hand signs. Then he said the activation words and closed his colorless eyes. When he opened them, he was no longer in his well lit room. But in a dark one.

He smirked to himself. This would work to his advantage when sparing with anyone. His mind flickered to Lee, who had never been able to master any of the Justus's the sensei taught. He turned to go, but stopped short at the sight behind him

The bed had been pushed up as close to the window as possible. The cover's had been kicked off the bed and were littering the floor.

His attendant lay still, clearly asleep on the bed. She wore what looked like a large yellow Tee-shirt. Her hair was knotted up under her left arm. 'She looks at peace.' He noted. He turned to leave, but something glinted in the moonlight.

He bent down to look at the necklace around her neck. A gold chain was around her slender neck. It had what looked like a black rose on the chain. He pulled back abruptly as she stretched and her right hand slid under her pillow.

But she did not wake up.

He bent back in to get a better look. That was a mistake.

He felt the kunai on his neck before he saw it. He blinked and looked into Tenten's angry brown eyes. She held the ninja tool in her right hand. And Neji realized that she had been awake when her arm when under the pillow.

"What are you doing?!" She hissed at him. "My door was locked! How did you get in here?!"

In a flash he had the kunai out of her hand and he stood by the foot of her bed. She rolled out of her bed and stood before him.

"I didn't know anyone was using this room." He told her. He didn't feel the need to apologize to her. She glanced at her necklace and tucked it into her nightgown.

"Get out." She told him. She walked over to the door, unlocked it, and held it open for him. As he passed her, he touched her arm, causing her to jerk back.

"Goman." He said,

"You unforgiving." She said as she closed her door firmly behind him.

The next day, Tenten dressed and walked outside. She sat at the normal bench. And rested before her day had to begin. She was up before dawn, so she was up before everyone else.

She was thinking about last night. How had he gotten in her room? And what had he been looking at? She pulled the chain out from her shirt and held the rose in her hand.

It was small, but shown bright in the soft early morning glow. It changed from a black rose for night, to a white rose for day. She turned it to the back and looked at her name engraved into it.

"Tenten?" She heard Peter call her. She tucked the rose back into her shirt, and turned to face her fellow attendant.

"It is time to wake everyone." Peter told her. Tenten nodded and followed him back into the castle. "So, you have been here for three weeks. Almost a month. How dose it feel?" Peter asked, trying to be friendly.

"Still like a prison." She said as she knocked softly on Neji's door. She felt her anger from the night before come flooding back to her. She didn't wait for him to tell her to come in; she opened the door and walked in.

His room looked a bit messier the usual, she noted. She saw a lump on the bed, and she assumed that was him. An evil smile came to her face. She grabbed the edge of the blanket, and yanked it, and him, to the floor.

Neji sat up as his head hit the floor. He looked around and saw Tenten standing before him, smirking. He was tangled up severely in his blanket and he saw one corner of it in her hand.

"Good morning dear sir, did you sleep well?" She asked him, releasing the blanket and started to fix the over turned chair.

"I was, until a little demon woke me," He told her, rubbing his head grumpily.

"Well dear sir, breakfast will be ready in the dining hall quite shortly, and then I do believe young master Lee will be here to accompany you to the academy." Tenten said. She behaved in the way an attendant should, but bore a grimace the whole time.

"Thank-you for the update." Neji said sarcastically, finally escaping his blankets grip on him.

"Your welcome dear sir. Will you be needing anything else?" She asked, her hands on her hips and her head tilted to the left.

"No, you may go now."

"Of course, dear sir."

"Stop calling me that."

"Dose it bother you?"

"Yes."

"Then no." And then she closed the door.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

After Neji had left for the academy with the over energetic Lee. Tenten had headed to the kitchen for her own breakfast. She ate with the other servants and listened to the gossip of the day.

"Yes, I did hear that." One maid whispered to another. When they saw Tenten enter they spoke much softer.

"I saw Hiashi talking to one of his ANBU this morning. Do you think it is about her?"

"Shhh, you don't want her to hear you do you?"

Tenten rolled her eyes. She did not enjoy gossip. It was just another thing that would be meaningless tomorrow.

She quickly finished her duties. She took the wash from the washroom back to Neji's. She cleaned some things and then she began to walk around, exploring the castle.

"Tenten!" She heard someone calling her. Tenten slowed her pace but didn't stop. She turned to face her caller.

Hinata came hurrying down the hall until she reached the girl. She caught her breath and curtsied to Tenten. She didn't say anything about the fact that Tenten did nothing in return.

"My father wishes to see you right away."

"Oh he dose, dose he?"

"Yes, he said it was important."

"I see, and where am I to go?"

"Back to your room."

Tenten frowned at this. Hiashi going to her room for a meeting clearly meant something was wrong. 'Maybe he is unsatisfied with my work and is going to fire me.' Tenten thought.

She felt odd knocking on her own door. But she did it anyway. She heard movement in her room, and a man in a birds mask answered the door.

"Who the HELL are you?" Tenten asked the man.

He wore black pants, a black sleeveless shirt and over that, white armor. He had short red hair coming out from behind his mask. Black gloves covered his hands. Tenten saw two katanas on his back and a kunai holder on his left leg.

'A ninja.' She thought.

"Tenten I suppose," The man said. He opened the door wider and ushered her in. Tenten saw Hiashi standing by her couch.

"Sir." She nodded her head at him. He motioned for her to sit on her couch.

"Tenten, I have noticed some things." Hiashi told her. "One that you tend to be confused about things. For example, you have lived in the Kingdom of Rose all your life. Yet you know nothing about the place. But you can read and write better then any other servant here. Also, sometimes, you will see something, and you will space out. Can you explain those trances to us?"

Tenten glanced at the man with the mask and nodded. "Sometimes, I will see something, and then images will flash in my mind. But I can't place those pictures to anything. Not a time, not a place, nothing."

"Can you give us an example?" The bird man asked. Tenten glared at him before saying.

"The first time Neji showed me a kunai, I saw…" She closed her eyes and swallowed. "A man, dead."

The man looked sharply at Hiashi. "Is that all?"

"No, he was in a garden, a very large rose garden. And, under a bush, was a bloody kunai." Tenten covered her face and let out a deep breath. "I have a feeling like I found that man…who ever he is."

"Any other images?" Hiashi asked gently. "Any big ones?"

Tenten nodded. "I saw…I saw my mother die." Hiashi looked at the other ninja, a worried look on his face.

"Maybe that is why you don't remember. You mind blocked it out because it was traumatic." Hiashi said. But Tenten shook her head violently.

"But then why can't I remember anything else?"

"If you would let me, I can find out if any Justus have ever been performed on you." The bird man said. Tenten looked at him with curious brown eyes.

The man performed several hand signs, and then his hands began to glow blue. He moved the hands towards her head. "Don't be afraid," he said.

"I have never been scared, so why start now."

The man placed one hand on each side of her head. Tenten felt her eyes start to close, before she blacked out she said,

"When this is over, can you put me outside?'

"Yes," She heard someone say. Then she felt nothing.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

The ANBU member found himself in front of a large vault. 'This is where her memories should be.' He thought. He guessed that the vault held them.

"What a silly little man you are," A voice said. The ANBU placed a hand on one of his katatnas and called,

"Who goes there?"

"Why, I am Mei, Dragon of the dark." A smooth voice said. Suddenly, a long sleek black dragon slithered down one black wall. It had yellow eyes and purple ridges on its back. Pearl white fangs glinted from between its lips. "And who are you?"

"Leo, of the ANBU. I am here to find out about what happened to this girls memories."

"Ahh, I see. Then I will answer what I can." Mei curled in front of the vault. Cleary the guard.

"Dragon, you follow the dragons code of three questions, am I correct?"

"You are,"

"Then I ask you, why can Tenten not remember her past?"

"It was sealed off by a ninja from the kingdom of rose." Mei answered. She twisted her stomach into a more comfortable position.

"Why dose she go into her trances?" Leo asked, noting that Mei's stomach bulged in two odd places.

"Because, the Justus was originally supposed to wipe all memory, BUT the ninja failed, and only locked them away, with me to guard them." Mei said. She flicked her tail over the two bulges gently.

"Who placed this Justus on her?" Leo asked.

Mei's dragon lips curled into an evil dragon smile. She stretched to her full length, before saying,

"I don't have to tell you."

Leo was taking back. Dragon code required that all dragons MUST answer three questions. "Mei! Do you not follow your code as you said?"

"I answered three of your questions. The one of her trances. The one of her memory. And I told you my name." Mei snapped at Leo. She tossed her head and looked at the vault.

'Kustu,' Leo cursed himself. He did not realize that he had used his first question so carelessly. "I see, well, if you will be of no further help, then I will help you."

Mei raised a dragon like eyebrow. "How can you help me? I need nothing."

"I can inform you, that if you give birth to your baby's in Tenten's mind, they can never leave." Leo told the dragon.

"My twins?" Mei whispered. She looked at her stomach. Then she looked at Leo. "I can tell you one more thing Leo, but only one more. And that is, Tenten memories can only be awakened slowly. If you try to make her remember quickly, the Justus will kill her." Mei blinked her golden orbs at the bird mask.

"Mei, can you tell me how it would kill her?" Leo asked. Mei blinked softly. She said.

"Two children, two answers. Leo of ANBU, I give you this information hoping you do not abuse it." Mei told him more as a warning, then a friendly statement. "Every time she goes into a trance, her breathing stops. If she has every memory flood her at once, her lack of breathing will kill her."

"Arigatogazamas," Leo told Mei, he bowed slightly to the dragon. Then he closed his eyes, and opened them back in Tenten's room.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Neji sat in his classroom, working on his assignment. Iruka left the room for a moment and his small class began to talk.

Shikamaru placed his head on his desk. Beside him, Choji ate what was left of his lunch. Kiba and his dog Akamaru, were bickering with loud mouth Naruto. Lee was asking Shino about something that clearly aggravated Shino.

"Hyuuga." A smug voice said. Neji didn't have to look to see Sauske smirking at him.

"What do you want?" Sauske slid into the chair beside Neji and said,

"Do you remember that panda girl? Tenten?"

Neji stiffened slightly at the mention of his attendants' name. "Hai."

"How about we go find her and teach her a lesion for messing with our academy?" The Uchiha thought this to be a brilliant idea. But his friend shook his head.

"She only messed with you. I have no reason to." Neji said. He thought with a smirk, 'Plus I can beat the heck out of her anytime. She would be glad to fight actually.'

"Are you serious?" Sauske asked. Just then Iruka-sensei reentered the room, and Sauske was back in his chair.

"Boys, news from the castle, all of you are expected there after school by your parents."

"Why?" Naruto shouted. Neji twitched at the sound of the blond's voice.

"Baka! Our parents are members of the court! They probably have a meeting to go to or something up there!" Kiba snapped at him. Naruto slouched low in his chair.

Neji's mind was racing. 'SHIT! How am I going to explain her being in the castle to everyone?' Neji slapped himself, again in his mind. 'Calm down, act like you don't give a shit about her working there and it will all be fine.'

Hexx: And now that is the end for today.

Blue: Interesting no?

Kin: YES!

Blue: Baka,

Kin: Hey!

Hexx: We will be moving on soon. But JUST to let you know. This is going to be a looooong fic. I have a lot I need to say to make this story PERFECT! So expect it to be long.

Kin: We are talking 15-20 chapters.

Blue: The Blue Foxx Production team is OUT!

Kin: Why is it named after you?

Blue: Because.


	9. Shikamaru is a wise ass

Hexx: And now we have our next Chapter.

Blue: Yeah yeah, can I let his out now?

Hexx: No. For our disclaimer, we couldn't get anyone important. So we got this guy!

Blue: Now?

Hexx: Now.

Opens Box

Bob: This isn't Taco Bell!

Kin: Hello! Please read this!

Bob: Oh, sure. achem Hexx-Chan dose no own Naruto.

The boys had decided to walk. If they had taking the carriage that was already heading towards the castle, then they would have had to listen to all of the squirming girls talk about medical training.

And about Sasuke.

They practiced hopping from roof to roof. This way, not only would they be receiving training, but also getting to the castle _before_ the girls. Although, Shikamaru and Choji were lagging behind quite a bit. But that was normal.

Neji was glaring holes into the rooftops before them. Everyone seemed to notice the tension that boiled around the young prince.

(All people who are saying, 'But Hinata and Hanabi are princesses!" I will explain in a future chap okay? So just sit tight.)

As they reached the gates. A loud commotion was heard.

"I said NO!"

"But please?"

"Read my lips missy, N-O!"

"Fine, but if you wont do that will you-"

"Sorry, I can no longer be of assistance to you. My ward will be arriving soon."

'Kustu! Tenten!' Neji mentally slapped himself. Then for a brief moment he imagined slapping her. But he knew how THAT would end….

"Okay, but promise you will help me later?"

"Hai, hai, now scat."

"Well this is going to be interesting." Neji mumbled.

And then the gates opened.

……………………………………………………………………………………………

"Okay, how long are you to stand there gaping at me?" Tenten demanded of the boys. She looked quite odd. After all, she had been playing with Hanabi and still had her long hair in a braid.

Her black boots and pants were normal. But the shirt was not. She looked like she was wearing a vest. After closer inspection, she was. A mans vest that was to be worn over suits. She now wore it over her normal white long sleeved shirt. The belling sleeves swayed at the gentle breeze.

"HELLO YOUTHFUL FLOWER!!!" Lee said. He rushed to stand beside her. Tenten glared at him out of her brown eyes.

"Neji," Sasuke said. "You never told us the little brat from that day worked here."

"I didn't? Must have slipped my mind." The white eyed boy smirked at Sasuke.

"I would _love_ to stand around and be started at, but I have a little girl waiting for me to teach her how to do a cartwheel." Tenten said, snapping Neji back into reality.

"Yes, we are going to be practicing in the back courtyard. Please alert us when my Uncle's court is adjourned.

"Hai, Neji-sama. But, your uncle wants to see you and you cousins first for some reason." Tenten said.

Neji felt odd about letting Tenten lead his classmates away. Epically knowing that Sasuke would _love_ the chance to attack her.

"Tenten?"

"Hai?"

"Watch your temper."

"Hai."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Neji entered his Uncle's private study, only to find Hinata. She sat at one of the chairs, her hands on her lap and she started strait ahead.

"Ah, Neji, you're here, come sit down right away. I only have a few moments to spare." Hiashi said from his chair.

After both of the teens were seated, Hiashi opened a file.

"I am going to explain a few things about Tenten."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"So, what do we have to do?" Hinata asked after her father had finished speaking.

"Nothing, I just wanted both of you to be aware." Hiashi said. They both nodded.

"And if she stops breathing for a long time, you want us to get a medic?" Hinata asked again. Hiashi nodded and then looked upon the stone face of his nephew.

"None of this worries you Neji?" He asked, a little bit shocked.

"Her lack of breath is nothing new to me."

"Ah, as I recall, most of her vision spells happen around you. So you must be on higher awares." Hiashi told him. "Now I must go, parliament is waiting for me."

As both of them went to leave he said, "This is not to be told to anyone, least of all her."

"Hai, Father."

"Hai, Uncle."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Hinata followed Neji as he walked swiftly to the courtyard. He wondered if Tenten would still be alive when he got there. Knowing Sasuke, her chances were slim.

"Cousin, why do you walk so fast?" Hinata asked. Neji snapped a cold look in her direction and she shrunk back.

"Why do you walk so slow?"

Hinata frowned at that. Neji was being very mean. 'But then again, he has been mean for ten years now.'

The door was in sight, and soon they were out in the courtyard. After a few moments of searching, they found them.

Shikamaru and Shino were engaged in a game of Shogi. Choji sat by and watched. Kiba and Lee were watching Naruto get the crap beat out of him by a very angry Tenten.

"Didn't I tell you to watch your temper?" Neji yelled. Tenten Turned. She held an almost uncouncis Naruto by his shirt collar, and she had her fist ready to hit him dead on in the face.

"I took his crap for a good half hour!" Tenten said. Hinata had gone to stand beside Kiba. Lee retrieved Naruto as Tenten waltzed up to her ward.

"Where did Sasuke go?" He asked her. Tenten blinked and tilted her head as if she did not understand.

"Duck-boy."

"Oh! He ran away when the other girls came." Tenten explained. Neji twitched.

"Sakura and Ino?"

"I think, I never got to ask."

As if by evil chance, Sasuke dropped from a tree, grabbed Tenten from behind, and held a kunai at her neck.

"What the HELL do you think you are doing?" She demanded.

"Two things, one, getting you back for last time," He twisted one of her wrist as he said this. "And two, making the twits stop chasing me."

"Oh, okay." Tenten said.

Then she hauled back with her left foot.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Do you need more ice sir?" Tenten asked Sasuke. He glared death at her, and she just smiled. Most of the other guys had distanced themselves from the ticking time bomb of a lady. She nodded and moved to stand beside Alice.

"Now then, Neji, are you going to tell us why your uncle would higher such a dangerous person?" Shino asked. He looked at her out of his blue blocker glasses. Tenten just tossed her head away.

"He didn't."

"So what? She is just some whack job who comes by everyday?" Sasuke asked from his spot. He had a blond girl and a pink haired girl on either side of him.

"Not quite…" Hinata said from her perch on a stone bench. She shifted nervously. Naruto sat up, his head red and bumpy.

"YOU ARE AMAZING!" Naruto yelled, surprising all involved. Tenten took her stance automatically, only to have Naruto grab her hand and shake it vigorously.

"Your parents must be so proud to have-"

"no."

Naruto looked confused, "Nani?"

"NO!" Tenten screamed into his face. She jerked her hand away and ran off. And nobody stopped her.

"What? What did I say?" Naruto asked. Neji breathed heavily. He was not going to say. Luckily he didn't have to.

"A slave eh? Sucks man." Shikamaru said from his spot. Everyone looked at him with shock.

"H-how did you kn-know?" Hinata asked, stammering more then usual.

"For one, her skin tone suggests she was born in a place that receives less sun. SO I know she must not have been born here." Shikamaru began. He had everyone's full attention. "So, as soon as she said 'no' right after Naruto mentioned parents, I knew they must be dead." He moved a tile in his game and beat Shino seven to nothing.

"How do you do that?" Shino asked.

"Practice. Now, since she has no parents, there is no reason for a girl to move all the way here for work. So she must have been forced to."

"Yes. So far everything you have said is true!" Hinata told him.

"But why did your father take her in? I thought he hated slavery." Ino said from her seat.

"He dose, her papers haven't come yet." Hinata explained.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

After everyone had left. Neji went to find his attendant.

"This is so stupid." He mumbled to himself, "I mean, where is she planning on going?"

"Why do you give a shit?" He heard her ask. He walked over to the tree, and looked up. She sat pretty high up. But not high enough that he couldn't jump to it in a single leap.

"How do you do that?" She asked him, as she re3luctently made room for him beside her on the branch.

"I'm a ninja remember?" He told her. She clicked her tongue,

"Not yet your not."

"I will be. And I will make my father regret his choice."

"hm?"

Neji hadn't realized that he had said that out loud. He shook it off and looked at her.

"You didn't have to run off like you did." He told her, he wanted to be mad with her, but her face made him feel mad at himself for some reason.

"How else was I supposed to handle it? I had some man in my head today, you cousin braided my hair and made me wear this vest, AND I had to deal with all of your comrades. And other then Lee, they all hated me."

"Well, if you acted more like a girl, maybe they wouldn't." He told her. She glared at him through the moonlight.

"And how is that? Quite, polite? JADED!?" She turned and leaned her back on the tree trunk and started at his outline. That was all she could see. He had no face for her to read. Not that it was readable anyway.

He turned to face her. He could read the mixture of hurt and anger on her pale face. She was squinting, trying to read him. He smirked and then said,

"It is late, and I have school in the morning." She nodded, not sure what he was getting at. Then,

She felt him toss her onto his shoulder, jump to the ground and place her on the ground. His hand was on her neck as she lay on the dirt. All she could see was his eyes.

"N-nani!?" She was shocked and confused. He smiled, a real one, but she never got to see it.

"I wanted to give you another defeat to sleep on." He told her. Her face changed in one rapid movement. Anger again contorted her delicate features.

"Oh! THANK-YOU! _NOW_ I CAN SLEEP!" She screamed at him. He placed his finger on her mouth to stop her screaming. It was different from what he would normally do, which was clamp his whole hand over it and press it with more force then needed.

"Hush, people are sleeping." Was what he whispered. He got off of her. For the first time, he offered her his hand.

'Should I take it?' She wondered. She had never wanted anyone's help. But he had never offered it.

When he had lead her to the door, he let go of her hand. She opened the door and followed him in.

As she walked past him towards her room. He said, "Tenten,"

She looked at him, her face clouded with a sleepy haze.

"They don't hate you."

"Zen naito Neji-sama."

"Zen naito Tenten," After her door clicked closed, and he was in his own room,

"Chan."

Hexx: FINISHED!!!

Kin: Yep.

Blue shall we?

Hexx: Yes, I am going to give you all,

Kin: DUN DUN DUN,

Hexx: HOMEWORK!!!!

crash of thunder.

Hexx: Okay, enough of that. All I want you to do is listen to the song, 'Once upon a December,' from Anastasia, before you read the next chapter. Okay?


	10. A song, and a sleeping rock Oo

Hexx: Okay! I assume you all listened to that song.

Blue: What song?

Hexx: Ignore the baka.

Blue: HEY!

Hexx: I know this is not a song from Naruto. I said that in the LAST issue. Now, disclaimer!

Asuma: Ello!

Hexx uses fire extinguisher on Asuma.

Asuma: HEY!

Hexx: No smoking.

Asuma: FINE! WHERE IS THE DAMN PAPER!?

Kin: Um, here ya go sir.

Blue whispers to Asuma You can smoke behind the building, Hexx won't catch you.

Asuma: Okay, Hexx-San dose not own Naruto.

Tenten rolled out of her bed in the morning and yawned. She HATED mornings. She struggled into her clothes and then went to find Neji. She walked slowly to his door. Not really wanting to see him.

She wouldn't have to. A note stuck to his door simply read,

'Left early, school stuff, be back later, -Neji'

"Well, I suppose I am free all day." Tenten said. She flicked her mind back to a little promise she had made to Hanabi. She shuffled up a bunch of stairs.

"Now, where is her room……?"

………………………………………………………………………………………………

A FEW HOURS LATER

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Tenten leaned agents a wall. She was more out of breath then one of her sparing matches with Neji.

'How many places in this castle can this shrimp hide?' Tenten wondered as she began to check around the hallway.

"Tenten, what are you doing?" A male voice said. Tenten, who had been looking behind a wall tapestry, turned and blinked at a person she had never seen before.

"Who, me? Looking for Hanabi. Who are you?"

"Hanabi's piano teacher, I know where she is." The woman had long reddish hair. She was very tan. She looked so familiar to Tenten.

After they reached a room with several large windows, Tenten saw Hanabi sitting at a large black piano. She practiced what sounded like her scales.

"Ah, Hanabi, this is your new piano teacher, Katherine." Rebecca said. Her dark skin glowing with all of the refracted sunlight.

'New teacher, how did she…' Tenten wondered as she sat on one of the chairs. After Hanabi's lesion, the red haired woman, turned to Tenten.

All Tenten could feel in the woman's eyes, was a higher feeling of caring. 'What is with this woman?' Tenten thought.

"Would you like to try playing?" Her green eyes bore into Tenten's brown ones, as if trying to tell her a deeper secret.

"I don't think I have every played!" Tenten said. But Kathern just placed a few music sheets of music and then motioned for Tenten to come over to the bench.

Hanabi grabbed Tenten and pulled her over. "Try! It's fun!"

Tenten didn't even try to fight back. She took Hanabi's place at the bench. She felt a slight be afraid of this woman.

The woman who knew her name before others did.

"I once had a," Katherine stopped speaking, "_Student_, who looked very much like you. "

"Interesting," Tenten said. Only it made her more wary of the woman. She looked at the paper. And her eyes widened.

This vision was faster then others. And it was just her hands, moving in a pace, to the notes on the paper. She regained control after a few seconds. Before she could stop herself, she began to play.

The music was light and soft. Katherine removed herself from the bench. Before Tenten could stop herself, soft words sprang from her lips. She started off hoarsely, but then gained confidence as she sang.

Dancing bears  
Painted wings  
Things I almost remember  
And a song someone sings  
Once upon a December

Someone holds me safe and warm  
Horses prance through a silver storm  
Figures dancing gracefully  
Across my memory

Far away  
Long ago  
Glowing dim as an ember  
Things my heart used to know  
Once upon a December

Someone holds me safe and warm  
Horses prance through a silver storm  
Figures dancing gracefully  
Across my memory

Far away  
Long ago  
Glowing dim as an ember  
Things my heart used to know  
Things it yearns to remember

And a song someone sings  
Once upon a December

Clap, clap, clap.

Several over excited claps, following the three slow ones caused Tenten to turn around. Hanabi stood there, clamping her hands off, alone with Lee,

Wait, LEE!?!

Tenten saw Neji, the source of the three slow claps, standing by the door. Tenten felt her face get hot, but she brushed that off with a firm shake. Lee was bouncing and screaming something about youth. Hanabi was staring at Lee with an odd smile.

Rebecca looked frightened, and Katherine, Tenten looked around for her. 'Where did she…..'

"I didn't know you played Tenten-Chan!" Lee said with his over happy voice. "Get ready for a hug girl! Cuz I'm gonna hug ya!" He wrapped his arms around Tenten. Her face flushed slightly before she wriggled him off.

"Arigato…I guess." She told him. She looked at the two of them. "Why are you here so early?"

"Someone stole all of Iruka-sensi's books!" Lee reported. Tenten raised an eyebrow.

"Ah, well, is there anything I can get you two?" Hanabi and Rebecca had vanished, much in the same way as Katherine.

"YOSHI! Tenten-Chan! I want you to spar with me!" Lee said. Tenten took a step back and blinked. Was this guy for real? How can anyone be so, so, so damn youthful ALL the time?

"Re-really?" Tenten cursed herself. Since when did she stammer? She stood up straight and struck her signature defiance pose.

"I have to get my tools, I will meet you outside." She told him. She ran past Lee and towards the door. Neji smirked at her as she passed, and she stuck out her tongue in return.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

'CRAP crap crap crap!' Tenten was out of breath from running and Lee was still on her tail. She had never seen someone move so fast in her LIFE! She had thought Neji was quick in his avoidance of her attacks, but nothing even grazed the green dasher.

'Left, right, turn,' Tenten rhythmically dodged Lee's own attacks, she managed to land a sharp blow to his chest, but it got her a sharper kick in the side.

"Gomen!" Lee said, but he continued his assault. She grabbed his ankle and tried to snap it. But that got her a slamming into a tree.

Tenten spied Neji watching out of the corner of her eyes. He was looking at her with contempt.

'If I can not beat Lee, I can never beat him!' She mentally screamed. She avoided Lee's foot smashing into her. Instead it buried deep into the tree trunk.

"Nani?" She said. His foot was ankle deep in red wood. He had over estimated her abilities to get the heck out of the way.

Smirk.

"Ummm Tenten-Chan? Why are you smirking like that? Hey! No! What are you…?" Lee began to laugh uncontrollably as Tenten tickled his stomach. She moved to tickling him under his arms and he laughed harder.

"Do I win?" She asked in a teasing voice. Lee was turning red from all of his laughing.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Neji blinked. He had seen Tenten for a brief second, then heard the sound of something hard splitting wood. Now all he could hear was the sound of his friend's laughter echoing around the small wooded area of the garden.

He then heard the laughter come to a staggering low. Then whispers where heard. Finally, it was silent. Neji decided to go find them.

Oh, he found them.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Tenten sat to one side of the field. Holding her sides and laughing. Neji glared at her, and went back to removing Lee from the tree. Lee was now sleeping like…well...a rock.

"How the hell did you even do that?" He demanded. Tenten shrugged and went back to messing with the flowers. She heard Neji mumbling some unkind things about her under his breath. She tossed a rock at him.

Plunk.

Neji stopped working. He turned around and looked at her. She wasn't facing him, and she looked preoccupied. A small stone sat at his feet. He picked it up, and flicked it, at her head.

"HEY!" Tenten rubbed her head and looked at him. Daggers shot between them. SHE stood up, and marched over. She stood on one side of Lee, and started Neji in his bold face.

Smirk.

Attempted Slap

Hand grabbed

Trys to pull away

Pulls in

Inches.

She was inches from the ground. She hated how he did that. Her arm was in his hand. She started up into the sky, and felt her knees waver at the odd position. He held her arm up so she was in a backwards table.

(Yoga term. Look it up.)

She brought one foot up and it collided with his forehead. But not hard. Just as a move of defiance. It was this odd image, which Rock Lee awoke to.

"YOSH!!! Are we dancing now?" Lee asked excitedly. Neji dropped Tenten and she landed with a bump and a growl. Lee finished dislodging himself and then turned to his two friends.

"Screw that Lee." Tenten said. She stood up and crossed her arms. "Those who dance are compensating for something."

(I AM NOT BASHING DANCERS!!! My BFF is a ballet and Jazz dancer and she kicks arse. Okay? Its just bitter-Tenten's view. For now...MWAHAHAHAHA!!! Okay, sorry, ill stop.)

"That's not what Gai-sensei says!" Lee told her, smiling and teeth twinkling. He bounced up and down and rambled on and on about some man Tenten had never heard of. Finally, both she and Neji were saved, by Peter telling them that Hiashi required them in the Throne room.

"What for?" Tenten asked. She followed behind Neji, who strolled ahead of the group.

"Your walking papers have arrived."

The walking stopped.


	11. The papers

Hexx: Hi! Today we are supposed to have Kakashi-senesi read the disclaimer.

Blue: But he is late, the little ….

Hexx: Nice language please.

Kin: We can just do it when he get's here.

Tenten swayed on her feet. Her papers? Finally? Was it true? Her freedom waited her in that room? She frowned at herself.

'Why do I act this way? They have been kind to me!' She scolded herself for acting like her freedom would rescue her from abuse. 'All the beatings I have taking, resulted of my own adventures.' She meantly told herself, thinking of her many spars.

She glanced her brown eye at Neji. He looked like he could careless about what happened. She rolled her eyes and mumbled her dislike of the young prince under her breath.

By the time they had reached the throne room, Peter had informed Tenten that the deliver of the papers had been a woman by the name of Katherine. When Tenten asked if she would be returning to teach Hanabi more piano lesions, Peter shook his head, stating that,

"She was simply filling in for Mrs. Finster. Hanabi's usual instructor." Tenten had nodded and tried to hide her disappointment. From Peter's eyes she did.

From the pale heartless ones, she did not.

"Why dose the person who teaches Hanabi matter to her?" He wondered.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

As Tenten entered the large room, she saw Neji stop at the threshold. He leaned agents the hard stone wall and watched her with his eyes. She tossed her head defiantly at him. She then walked over to where Hiashi was standing.

"Tenten, I have here you r papers. Once we both sign them, you will be free to do as you so choose with your life." Hiashi told her. He stood noble and proud, but he felt a twinge of guilt giving such a headstrong girl such options.

"I understand." She said. He nodded and glanced at his nephew. How was he taking all of this?

By the unfeeling look on his face it seemed like he was taking it well.

"Alright, then let us begin."

Hiashi signed several places. He handed the inked brush over to Tenten and pointed to an empty space. With delicate, soft strokes she left her mark. Hiashi then finished signing it and then reveled his binding seal.

When Tenten saw the red wax in Hiashi's hand she made her gasping noise. Hiashi looked at her, alarmed, and Neji tensed ever so slightly. But it was a simple vision, and over quite fast.

"What ever did you see?" Hiashi asked her in a whisper, as he placed the seal on the paper and made her freedom legal.

"Mitsuki stamping the very papers you now hold." She whispered back.

"You are now free." Hiashi said. He handed Tenten her papers and she held them carefully. "Now what will you do?"

She turned to leave. Hiashi felt his heart sink at the thought of her living on her own, but said nothing.

She stood, with measured steps to the door. When she was parallel with Neji she stopped. They both stood like that for a few moments, then,

"Will you be requiring anything else tonight sir? Or may I return to my own quarters?" Tenten asked. Her face etched in stone.

A smile tugged at the side of Neji's face that Tenten could not see. He shook his head; she nodded and left the room. Heading back the way she had come.

"So she stays?" Hanabi said from where she had been hiding, which was behind her father's throne.

"She stays."

Hexx: Sorry it was so short.

Blue: Yes, the next one should be longer.

Kakashi: Yo!

Hexx: YOU MUTHA EFING BUM!!

Kakashi: Nani?

Kin: You're late.

Kakashi: Oh, GOMEN!

Hexx: Yeah yeah.

Kakashi: You don't own Naruto?

Hexx: No.

Kakashi: Good, then I'm not dead. -


	12. When I am asleep, I dont like water

Hexx: We have gotten a very reasonable length chapter today, since the last one was sooo short.

Blue: I said no!

Kin: I said yes!

Hexx: I say SHUT-UP!

Blue & Kin: Yes ma'am.

Hexx: Is she ready?

Blue: Yes.

Ino: Hey, this is not how we agreed to do this scene!

Hexx: To bad, now read this and then get backstage.

Ino: FINE! Hexx-Sama does not own Naruto.

Ino stomps off stage mad because of her upcoming part.

Hexx: Hee hee hee. Let us begin!

Now that her position in the castle had more power, she enjoyed it. She could resist what Neji asked of her without fearing the punsishment. But in the end, she did what he asked her to always.

Something Tenten did not enjoy, was the now familiarity the friends of both Neji and Hinata held for her. They tested her limits often, and where receved with harsh backlashes and repercussions.

And in Lee and Naruto's cases, concussions.

She had found however, that the boys accepted her better then Ino and Sakura did. Kiba had joined Lee and Naruto in her little circle of targets. He however, received less attacks then the other two….special….people…..

Shino was one she found quite interesting. His lack of words made her wonder what he could do. She knew him as a fare fighter, but his people skills lacked a gap that could have swallowed all of Japan.

Shikamaru was the one she sought after the most to be with, however. And it was on a warm fall day that she found herself in the presence of Shikamaru and Choji. Well, mostly Shikamaru. Choji, although sitting with them was clearly watching the others spar with each other.

Shikamaru moved his shogi piece around boardly. He hated all of the work involved in coming to this place. Everyone was always DOING something. This was not the kind of place to take a nap. He had tried to once, and had not been able to dodge a misaimed weapon. If it had not been for a very energetic blond, he would have quite a few stitches all over his head.

A shadow fell across the board and then Tenten plopped down across from him. He looked at her with lazy black eyes. She tilted her head and waited for something.

'Well, this is troublesome.' Shikamaru mumbled. He then looked up at her and blinked in a flurry. Her hands rested lightly on the board, and her eyes were wide. He waved a hand before them, but he couldn't even see his reflection in them.

Her breathing has stopped. He noticed abruptly. She had her mouth open a slight bit, but her chest was not moving up or down. Just as he turned to call for help, a gasping chough made him look at her again.

"Wanna play?" She asked him in her bright voice. Shikamaru found himself thinking something he had NEVER thought he would think.

'This girl, was more troublesome, then Ino.'

There game lasted a long time. He had never lost, and was not about to. She was not skilled, and her moves should inexperience. She did not appear to have a clue about what she was doing. After he third defeat she leaned in and told him, in a hasty whisper,

"Is it true that I am to die at the hands of Sasuke?" Her brown eyes flashed with interest, and Shikamaru raised his head to the sky to sigh.

"Who told you that? Ino?" He saw her nod and he sighed again. "Anything that comes out of that girl's mouth needs to be examined under a microscope before even CONSIDERING believing it." He told her. She shrugged and flopped backwards.

Then she pleasantly rolled down the hill and came to rest beside Hinata and Sakura. Both girls had been so absorbed in their own endeavors that she scarred them nearly to death. Hinata had shrieked, jumped and had done as Tenten had told her if attacked.

She sat on her foe.

After a few brief moments of silence, Tenten burst out laughing. Hinata, realizing exactly who she sat on, leapt to her feet and gather her skirts so she was fully out of Tenten's way.

"Gomen! Gomen!" Hinata said, bowing at each word.

Sakura had by now moved closer to the two, after jumping behind a tree in surprise. She mouthed some things to Hinata and Hinata nodded.

Tenten felt oddly nervous as Sakura sat to her left and Hinata to her right. Here she was, the terror of the castle, sitting between a Lady and a Princess, both in the very disgusting skirts which Tenten hated so much.

Suddenly, a brilliant head of blond hair appeared in front of her. Tenten let out an in audible gasp as into sat before her. She was now, officially boxed in. The steep grassy hill at her back.

"Tenten-san." Ino said seriously. She blinked her deep blue eyes as she started into Tenten's brown one. "We must tell you what we think!"

"Tenten-Chan," Hinata explained, "Ino and Sakura have decided that you are too boyish for your own good." Tenten did not like how this was heading.

Suddenly, she felt Sakura and Ino pounce. She struggled to fight them off, but because of them out ranking her, she was unable to dislodge them.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

A loud commotion was heard from where the girls sat and most of the fighting ceased. They looked on as Sakura and Ino started to drag the struggling Tenten away. Followed by Hinata, who was apologizing over and over again for her friends. Her voice was drowned out however; by the unladylike stream of curses flowing from Tenten's angered lips.

"You see!" Sakura said, hoisting Tenten's legs higher so she could have a better grip. "This is the very thing I was talking about!"

A brief silence was heard and then Tenten said, causing both girls to stop walking, "If I were to kill you, would I die?"

"Tenten!" Hinata said in a very worried voice. "Don't joke!"

Tenten merely started into the green and blue eyes above her. She cocked her head to one side and said,

"I have no memory; I have no life, so dieing is fine by me."

Before anything else could be said, she extended her body to show a glinted of metal form a kunai tucked into her belt. Sakura and Ino dropped her and darted back.

Tenten placed her hands beside her head and flipped onto her feet. She smiled a mischievous smile.

"Fooled ya." With that, she took off. Several unnatural jumps later, she found herself at the top of the hill, staring down and the angered forms of Sakura and Ino. The boys, finding the excitement gone, went back to there spars.

"NEJI!" A hard smack landed on the back of his head and he and Lee both stopped. They turned to face a very annoyed Ino.

"Nani?"

"Did you teach her how to do that?" She demanded. When Neji started blankly at her she said, slightly calmer, "Her jumps, they were shinobi jumps."

"No." He said simply and coldly, firmly ending the discussion.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Days tended to be lazy. Tenten found one day, she was informed by a very joyful Peter, that from now on, on Sundays she would have the day off. She knew he was happy for another reason, and decided to peruse it.

"Peter," Tenten said. She had stopped using honorifics for anyone with the exceptions of Hiashi. And sometimes, privately with Neji.

"Hai?" Everyone had adjusted to it quite nicely. Infact, Hanabi stopped listen to all people when they called her, -chan, -sama, or –san.

"Why so happy? You look as though….." Tenten's words stopped as she smiled slyly. Peter flushed at her,

"W-What are you talking about?" He asked her. She titled her head and innocently asked,

"How is Miss. Rebecca doing?"

She had struck a nerve, Peter's whole face turned red with embarrassment. She tilted her mouth into a knowing smile. As she flounced down the halls in a mock skip.

"I don't know what's scarier, her when she is happy or her when she is mad." Peter said to a passing maid.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Tenten skipped through the halls. Today was Saturday, so tomorrow she would be leaving the castle to explore the village. She stopped as she realized she had no clue where anything was.

"Neji!" She called as she entered the library, Neji's second favorite room in the entire building. A tell tale, 'hn', was heard from behind a large shelf.

She leaned around the corner to look at him.

Neji glanced up at her. Her upper body tilted into his view and the look on her face showed something had made her happy. He felt himself smile behind his book. She was like a child when she was happy.

She took a flying leap and landed on her knees in the unoccupied space beside him on the dark red couch. He grumbled at her as he adjusted to accommodate her on the small seating arrangement.

"What do you need?" He asked her. Even though her job was to help him with whatever he needed, he found he needed little, so she usually helped the other workers with whatever took her fancy.

"Do you know where I may find a map Neji?" She asked him brightly.

He closed his book firmly and bore into her with cold angry eyes. She felt herself lean back as he asked her, with a force in his voice that was quite new to her,

"Why all of a sudden to you wish to leave?"

She blinked at him and tried to process what he had just said. He then reached out and grabbed her wrist, causing her to yelp in shock.

"Why are you leaving?" He asked again, more slowly and a bit more bitter. She poked him in the forehead and said,

"I'm gonna come back! I meant a map of the VILLAGE!" She felt him relax. He readjusted and once again opened his book. He informed her of the following,

"Heading down the main path will bring you to the fork that says 'Academy road.' All you must do is go in the opposite direction. The town's main street is all you should go. Anyplace else, to my knowledge, is houses."

"Okay, take the right road at the fork and stay on the main street. I can do that." She told him.

He was already reabsorbed into his book.

"Neji?" Her voice sounded confused, he again glanced away from his book to look at her.

"What?" He asked her.

"Can you um…let go of my wrist….please?"

Neji blinked when he heard this. His white eyes slid down to his hand. It lay casually on the couch, with her wrist still gripped in it. He let go and with a 'hn,' he rose and left her sitting there.

'What the HELL is with him today?' She wondered as she stretched onto the couch, pulling a random book off the shelf and began to read it.

She must have fallen asleep, because the next thing she knew, someone had dropped her into a water trough.

She stuttered up and made a chocking like chough. As soon as she had her breath, she began to let that person know what she thought of them.

With some VERY strong and colorful words.

A mild scoff was heard and then she flung open her eyes, scattering water droplets about as she shook her head to dry it out.

Sasuke stood before her. His arms crossed and a smirk hinting on his face. She felt herself feel very vulnerable sitting in a water trough weaponless.

Wait, weaponless?

She reached for her waist and found, sure enough, no weapons holder. She glared at him and he tilted his head evilly.

"It is not part of the game, to hurt you."

"What freaking game evolves dropping me in a water trough?" She screamed at him.

He rubbed his ear after she finished. She fumed at his lack of response. Lifting herself out of the water she found out exactly what kind of game.

"You are all Teme's, you know that?" She told Lee and Naruto, who had been sitting just out of her view.

Ninja version, of capture the flag.

Hexx: Okay, done for now.

Kin: Hexx-sama, why was Ino mad?

Hexx: She had a big scene with Sasuke, but I cut it out…XP

Kin: Oh,

Hexx: My fair readers! I must now apologize for the sucktasticness of this chapter. I kinda just needed a filler to get into this game. You can all forgive me right?

Blue: Don't forget to tell them….

Hexx: Right, right, on my Youtube account I made a commercial for this story if you wanna watch it. The link can be found on my page.


	13. S M A C K

Hexx: Okay, my lovely readers, I am here to make up for the crappy last chapters.

Blue: We have no Naruto person to read the disclaimer Hexx!

Hexx: Oh yes we do!

Kin and Blue?

Hexx: Come here Kabuto!

Blue and Kin fall over.

Kabuto: Hi lil one, I can't stay long; I have to get back to…

Hexx: Cut the crap dude, I am not paying you to babble.

Kabuto: You're not paying me at all.

Hexx: READ!  
Kabuto: (She is scarier then Orochi-sama when she is mad.) Hexx-Chan does not own Naruto.

Tenten was presently kicking the life out of a poor tree. She was probably breaking her foot with each passing swing, but she didn't care, she was to mad to care.

'Kustu! Kustu Neji! He _will_ feel my wrath come next spar!' She fumed mentally. The rules of the game had been explained to her. And quite pleasantly, she had found herself excepting the teams.

The terms were simple.

Each team was trying to catch her.

She could run away and try to escape as much as she wanted.

If she was violent, then they could be as equally violent with her.

She might be attacked with some technioics that she has no idea how to combat.

The rules seemed simple. She had agreed simply. Then Neji had tackled her, taken her with him and his team, and left her tied to an oak tree with Shino to guard her.

"You are going to injure yourself." Shino told her from where he sat. She clicked her tongue at him and resumed kicking the tree.

"I am going to let you go now," Shino said, walking up behind her as she stopped killing the plant.

"And _why_ in hell's name are you going to do that?" She asked him, hands on her hips and eyes locking with…..umm….blue blocker glasses.

"What fun is this game if you do not have a chance to fight?" He asked her, swiftly untying her wrists and hips, allowing her to wriggly free from her binds.

"When will you sound your alarm?" She asked him.

"now," He told her, sending up a kunai into the air, she say a slip of paper on it, then, she watched as the kunai exploded. Her eyes reflected the explosion with interest.

"You better start running."

So, she did.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

She had tried fighting hand to hand, but that didn't seem to work out real well for her. So she tried hiding. But with trackers like Neji, Shino and Kiba, THAT didn't work well either.

But long range, now _that_ could work.

Ducking back behind a rock, she watched with careful brown eyes as Lee ambled into her view. She plunked a pebble from the ground, took aim and…..

THWAP!

Lee fell over as her stone collided with the back of his head. For a moment, she wondered if she should make sure he was okay, but then she heard somebody coming, and she retreated.

'Now _this_,' She told herself giddily. 'Is fun!'

"I _know_ she is around here," She slid to a stop and hide behind a tree; she listened to Kiba talking to his shaggy white dog. "I can smell her."

'Kustu.' She wondered how to avoid that. She thought long and hard, well, just hard, she didn't have too much time.

Kiba could find her, because he could smell her. Dogs have better noses then humans, but the only way a fox escapes bloodhounds is….

Tenten frowned as she thought about heading back into the water. But she did, then, upon finding Kiba again, she promptly rendered him uncounsionce from afar, and then shoved Akamaru into a brown bag.

"Don't worry lil guy! Someone will let you out once they hear this." She told Akamaru as she placed the wiggling bag beside Kiba's unmoving form. She covered Kiba's delicate ears, and then screamed, like nobody's business, before she took off.

She had successfully taken out Lee, Kiba, Naruto, Choji, (she gave him an apple.) Shikamaru, (She gave him a place to nap.) And Shino, who had taking his defeat with grace, seeing that his bugs biting at her pale skin didn't affect her in the least bit, so if he didn't want to kill her, he had to let her be.

She had two left. And both, were major pains. Stronger then the others. Smarter, not really faster then the others, but damn faster then she was. And one of them knew all of her tricks.

Sasuke and Neji, being on opposing teams, had been fighting with one another for some time. Tenten waltzed into the battle, sat herself on a rock, and waited for one to knock the other out.

Well, she had a long wait. They matched each other in battle. Tenten soon found herself growing sick of watching the battle. Sure, it was interesting and all, but she noticed something that made her smile.

Neji was not losing.

Why that would make her happy when she felt nothing for the one who felt nothing for her was simple. If he lost, that meant Sasuke won. And if Sasuke won, then he would attack her and harm her freely, in his mini quest for revenge agents the girl who had embarrassed him.

Tenten began to gather what she would need for her assault. She had on her possession, six rocks, two acorns, one stick and a kunai, which she had gotten from Shino. She decided to use the stick first.

After hiding herself well, she waited for her opening. The two boys danced their dance of battle until her brown orbs picked up her opportunity. She rolled the stick under the feet of the Uchiha. Sasuke stumbled over it and this gave Neji and upper hand.

The battle balanced itself out again much to fast for her liking. She grumbled to herself as she returned to her perch on the rock.

She wasn't quite in the open. She had the shadows around her, to prevent direct sight. She used up her small rocks quickly, but every time one hit one of the boys. They would both stop for a moment and look confused.

Tenten was aiming her last rock at Sasuke's head. Just as she flicked it, his head swung around and his eyes met hers.

Red. The once dark black eyes Tenten had grown accustomed to have glaring at her were now a deep evil angry red. She felt her whole body go numb. They bore into her more then Neji's white eyes did.

(Neji POV)

For some minutes now several rocks had been pelting him. Neji grumbled each time, cursing who ever thought that giving her perfect aim was a good idea should be shot.

(O.O Kishimoto-san!)

He smirked as he noted that he was not her _only_ target. Sasuke was taking the most of her wrath. Then, as Sasuke swung to avoid a punch, he seemed to stare at something. He noticed his foot adjust its position. And he knew,

He was not Sasuke's target any longer.

(Tenten POV)

She felt his intent on her before he actually attacked. She felt him tackling her; she felt his arms around her small waist. He knocked her back hard and began to knock her into a tree, while still holding her waist.

She wanted to scream, she wanted to fight. She wanted to do anything to make him stop. But after she had seen his eyes, all she could see was the same thing.

A man, in a garden. A man struck down. Blood spilling out of his head. Then she felt something wet agents her hair. Someplace deeper in her mind told her it was her own blood.

Then Sasuke violently tossed her across the area. This is when she snapped to. But too late. She felt her body flying back; she knew a tree awaited her. She held the kunai in front of her, its hilt on her chest, ready to stop him if he came at her again. Then she closed her brown hazy eyes and braced herself for the tree to hit.

Shino dropped from the tree and grabbed the limp form before it hit. Neji tackled Sasuke so viscously that Sasuke had his eyes jolted back into their black color. Kiba and Lee were Rushing to where Shino was laying the now sleeping girl on the ground.

Neji relentlessly hit Sasuke over and over again. All the while, hissing into the Uchiha's ears…

"Using your ability on her was _one_ thing. But then trying to _smash_ open her skull when she couldn't fight back!" Neji dodged Sasuke's kick and then resumed his attack. "She is not a ninja! She is _not_ trained to handle that kind of pain."

Sasuke finally shook the angered Hyuuga off of him and walked over to the group, as if he didn't care that he might have killed her.

But Naruto, being Naruto, did.

"SASUKE-TEME!!" Naruto yelped as he grabbed the front of the Uchiha's blue shirt. Naruto had a large band-aid wrapped around his head from where Tenten's fist had collided with it.

After several more minutes of being yelled at Sasuke snapped at Naruto. "Why do you care? For one thing, she is noting more then an exile from her own kingdom forced to work her for some crime she _must_ have committed."

Neji glared at the arrogant boy. He had never liked him, and now, attacking an innocent, (even if that innocent had been pelting them with harmless pebbles) made that dislike harden.

"And besides!" Sasuke went on, jabbing a finger sharply into Naruto wounded head, making the hyper boy wince. "She did that to you and yet you defend her?"

"HAI! Because she not _only_ hurt it, but she _fixed_ it as well!" Naruto said, dancing away from Sasuke. Neji tilted his head and looked at the others. They all had similar wounds. All wrapped and healed.

(Sasuke-Teme's point of view.)

Sasuke soon found that all of his friends choice her side over his. This greatly angered him. After all, since when has a worthless servant girl EVER been more important to these boys then there comrades and training?

Apparently since that bitch had come.

He got not one chance to defend himself. And when he had managed to get a few words in, all he could say was,

"But I was simply seeking my…"

"REVENGE!?" Naruto screamed into his face, causing the dark black hair on his head to flick back slightly.

"All you ever do is worry about revenge!" Neji told him bluntly. "After all, every time something like this happens, it's all about revenge." Neji shook his head disgustedly.

"At least I take things into my own hands instead of leaving them to '_fate'_" Sasuke snapped.

I watched as my words cut. But sadly, they did not cut very deep. He shook them off with a simple,

"Even if I wasn't fated to hate you. I still would." Neji told him simple. Sasuke jerked his head away and turned to leave.

(Regular POV)

"Stop."

The voice was weak and pained. They all looked at Tenten, who had managed to get herself onto her knees. When Shino tried to make her lay back down, she jerked away.

Her brown eyes never left Sasuke.

She struggled, slowly to her feet. She held her left arm pinned to her side with her right hand. She slowly moved to close the gap between herself and her attacker.

Looks of extreme pain passed over her face with every step. But she would not cease her walking. She managed to get within a foot of Sasuke. Then she wavered lightly on her feet, but managed to balance herself firmly.

S M A C K.

That one sound broke the silence. Her right hand hung in the air. His face was turned from the hits force. His cheek stung lightly and began to slowly turn red. She then brought her same hand around and smacked his opposite cheek.

S M A C K.

She now dropped her hand back onto her arm. She held her face, taught and emotionless. She simple pulled the chain from around her next and displayed it to him.

"If I was worthless, then this means that worthless people are worth more then you think." She struggled away from him. She was heading towards the castle, shrugging off all attempts of help from the others.

Right before she disappeared from sight, she turned her head, flicking dark blood around from the ends of her loose chocolate locks.

"Next time we fight, I will _not_ go down so easily."

Hexx: There you go. All nice and long. Just like my readers like it.

Kin: Hexx, where did Blue go?

Hexx: It's not my job to watch her.

Kin: But Hexx, she lives in your head. We both live in your head.

Hexx: Still not my job.


	14. Black Blindfold at the end

Hexx: Hey, I am here and so is….

Shino: Yo.

Hexx: I didn't call you yet!

Shino: You are making me get yelled at by Kiba soon so….

Hexx: DON'T GIVE IT AWAY BAKA!

Shino: You can't tell me what to do.

Hexx: o.o eh?

Shino: You don't own Naruto.

Blue, Kin and Hexx all sweat drop.

Tenten had finally reached her own room. After closing the door and firmly locking it, she began to make her slow travel to the bathroom for her first-aid kit. A knock at her door.

"Ms? Are you in there? Neji-san told me you needed a Medic." Tenten heard an unfamiliar voice call out. She glowered at the door, hoping her aura was giving the person the hint to leave.

"I do not need you help!" Tenten told the person. After several coaxing statements from her guest, she again told him she would not open the door.

"Then I am sorry for the intrusion Ms." Tenten thought that meant he was leaving.

Ha.

Tenten gave a scream as he 'proofed' into the room beside her. She pitched her lamp at him before flailing backwards onto her couch like a drunken idiot. Her head throbbed too much and her vision was blurring from the dark blood that was dripping into her face.

"Please don't fight back Ms. you will only cause more pain to yourself." The man said. He said it with a hint of smoke on his breath. Through blurry brown eyes Tenten chought the sight of a cigarette hanging out of his mouth.

The last thing she did before slipping into sleep, was snatching the cigarette from the man, taking a drag, and then stabbing the butt out on her couch.

"No smoking."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Asuma grumpily made his way back to the other shinobi who lived in the castle. He relit a cigarette and took a long slow drag.

That had been his first in counter with Neji's attendant. Even though she had been living in the same building as all of the shinobi, only Leo had ever met her. As he finally opened the door to the shinobi private sitting room, he wondered why he had gone to take care of her instead of the actual medic, Kurenai. Then he remembered. Because she was out on a mission with that weird man in the tights.

"Yo. How did it go?" A brown haired ninja chewing on a senbon called. Asuma glanced his direction.

"Genma, that girl had so many scars on her, I don't think they all came from just now."

(Okay, NO ASUMA DID NOT MOLESTE OR LOOK AT HER LIKE THAT! He removed her shirt, LEFT THE UNDERSHIT ON! Wrapped her wounds on her arms. Then he wrapped up her head. Okay? NO PERVERTEDNESS INTENEDED!)

"Well, what do you think? She _was_ a slave at one point. Her other owners might have beaten her." Genma said, switching his senbon from one side of his mouth to the other.

Asuma shook his head. "To recent."

Genma looked at Asuma doubtfully. "No offense man, but you don't have the _best_ training with identifying wounds."

Asuma took another drag on his cigarette and then said, "I know a bruise takes at least twelve hors to appear and last for about a month." Genma looked at him as if to say, 'so?' Asuma went on, "So, in the past month, she must have been doing a lot of something that got her so many bruises. I am waiting for Kurenai to return before someone checks to see if she has similar wounds anyplace else."

Genma ran his hand over his shaggy brown hair. (Why do ½ of these characters have brown hair? Can't someone have black hair or something?)

"Do you think Neji hit her?"

This seemed likely. Well, at first.

"No. He at least, not without her permission." Asuma stated. Genma looked at him and waited for an appropriate response.

"I have been told that she is never far from Neji really. She lingers behind him a lot. Sometimes even when she is not needed. And Rebecca said they often go out into the garden late a night, only to return even later, when most people are sleeping."

"What, you think he is dating her?" Genma asked slyly. Briefly imagining the cold Hyuuga prince with the (as he had heard) short-tempered foreigner.

"No, more like sparing with her." Genma's smile deflated instantly. Sparing? Why in gods name would he do a thing like _that_ with her?

"YOSH!" Like nails dragging down a chalkboard, a large version of Lee hopped into the room. Followed closely by a female medic ninja. Her black hair (YES CHANGE OF PACE!) Swung loosely around her shoulders.

Before she could adjust herself, she was accosted by Asuma and quickly led away. As Asuma explained about the young girl.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

After Kurenai examined Tenten and used chakra to heal her head wound, reemerged from the room to find Genma also standing beside Asuma.

"You were right Asuma. Her wounds are recant, but not as recant as today."

Asuma held a hand out to Genma, who dropped two gold coins into his palm. Kurenai frowned deeply at them both. Asuma gave her a sheepish smile.

"Let's go find Neji."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Neji had been in his room, reading an old scroll when he heard a firm knock on his door. He rolled up the scroll as he walked towards the door. It opened before he reached it and three members of the castle's shinobi entered the room.

Before he could say anything about them entering in such a fashion. He found them all bombarding him at once with several questions.

They didn't seem to be saying anything that made sense to the Hyuuga, because he just started at them with bored eyes. Then,

BAM!

"NEJI! SHUT UP IN HERE! MY GOD! I HAVE A SCREAMING HEADACHE AND IF YOU EXPECT ME NOT TO SPAR WITH YOU TONIGHT BECAUSE OF IT, THEN YOU ARE DEAD WRONG! LET ME SLEEP AND THEN I WILL KICK YOU'RE…."

Tenten stopped screaming upon seeing the other people in her wards room. Upon seeing Asuma, she marched across the room, snatched the cigarette out of his mouth, and then placed the burning end on her hand.

"I said no smoking." Then she left.

This had left some mouths open. Neji crossed the room closed his door and then offered the three shinobi's seats.

"Neji-san, why dose she spar with you?" Genma asked. Neji smirked at him and told him,

"She lost to me once and she says she will try again and again until she wins."

"So you attack her full force?" Asuma asked. Neji nodded, saying,

"She fights full force plus something extra. The least I could do is return her favor."

"How many times have you used gentle fist on her?" Kurenai demanded. Neji narrowed his eyes at her. She went on to explain,

"The muscle in her stomach has an internal scar, in the shape of your hand." She informed him. He closed his eyes and told them all,

"Once. I used it on her once, and then never again."

The questions went on for a little while longer. Then, when Tenten had again come into the room to call Neji out for their spar, Kurenai told her all she could have was bed rest. And after some struggling and arguing, Tenten was locked away in her room for the night.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Tenten spent her first day off in her room. With Hinata and sometimes Hanabi for company. She felt the thick gauze of the bandages that encircled her head. She had several

She cursed the female medic. She had slipped in-between the worlds of awake and a sleep in and out of the day. She had read, sewn a few more pairs of pants, chatted and ate. She felt so useless, not doing anything.

When Tenten woke up for what felt like the twentieth time that day, she found herself staring into pitch black.

This confused her.

Even when she was awake in the middle of the night, she could see around her room. She made sure her eyes were wide open. She still saw nothing. Then she began to scream.

"I'm BLIND! CRAP! KUSTU SASUKE YOU MADE ME BLIND!"

A snicker.

Tenten stopped. She had been hopping on her mattress on her knees. She distinctly heard a snicker. She stretched an arm out in font of her, searching around for her invisible watcher.

She felt herself slip off the edge of the bed. She felt someone slip their arms under hers. Her chest hit someone else's and then the snicker rumbled from the apposing chest.

Tenten felt her knees softly bump into the floor. She began to bang on the person's chest with her fists. She growled at him/her. The arms tightened slightly before she felt them release her. Then, blinding light.

"AGH!" Tenten shielded her eyes from the bright light. She blinked a few time and then saw something that annoyed her.

"NEJI!" She smacked him in the chest. He was smirking at her, and holding a black blindfold in one of his hands. Tenten crossed her arms and fumed.

"Tenten is this the closest to a dress I am ever going to see you in?" Neji asked her. Tenten looked down at her yellow nightgown.

She felt very odd, sitting with her back on her bed and with him sitting in front of her, with his ankles by her hips, one on each side. Tenten tried to cock her head but winced as the pain stabbed gently.

"I think it is. Dear Sir." Neji frowned. Every time she wanted to annoy him, that is what he was called.

"I want you to leave now. Since your little stunt has sacred about six years off my life." Tenten informed him, getting back into her bed and wrapping the blanket around her in an adorable fashion.

"Fine, I will." He turn's to leave.

"Neji?"

"Hai?"

She is beside him now, arms around his neck and tieing the blindfold into his mouth like a gag. She smirks at him before leaping over her headboard and back into her covers.

"Very funny, Tenten."

Hexx: Okay, I have no idea wear any of this came from. But now that Shino blew part of next chapter, I think I will make it come out in 2 weeks. Just so you can all simmer over it. OH! And I KNOW Kurenai isn't a medic nin. BUT remember in my story I said the only girl ninjas are medics.


	15. Are you going to go to the circus?

Hexx: I AM SORRY FOR THE LATE UPDATE!!! OKAY! Before I start, spelling errors. Damn is not Kutsu, its Kuso. So, I will now fix that. But I will not fix how I make them say good night. I think it's cute and it means the same thing as the correct way. So, HA! Lastly, Jaded. I THOUGHT Jaded meant controlled. But I was wrong. T-T it means exhausted from over indulgence. But it sounded good eh?

Blue: He is here.

Itachi: I hate you all.

Hexx: We know, XD

Itachi: Hn, Hexx-teme dose not own Naruto.

Hexx: WHAT DID YOU JUST CALL ME!?!?

Tenten was quite angry with Neji. She had been all better for a week now, and yet he had avoided her like the freaking plaque. He had told her that she could just take it easy, but that also meant no training.

He had stolen her ninja tools. That was why he had been in her room before. And he refused to spar with her. Saying he had other things to do. Tenten was becoming quite annoyed.

And quite limber.

She was convinced that Neji didn't want to spar with her anymore because she had lost so horribly. So, since she could not practice her aim, she would become a better gymnast.

But the problem with that….was that many Hyuuga were….

"Young one?" Tenten stopped her practice. This name was what many of the Hyuuga had begun to call her. She wondered why. Were they really so old that she seemed so young?

"Hai?" She said, pivoting to face her caller. An older Hyuuga lady stood there. A paper in hand.

"Are you going to go to the circus young one?" The woman asked with interest. Tenten secretly sweatdroped.

How many times had she heard _that_ one?

"No ma'am." Tenten bowed as the lady walked away. Her bow was not like a curtsies or a normal bow.

She extended her right leg, while only bending her left leg. Her left arm went straight back. And her right arm curled around her stomach.

'If she wore a gown, that would be quite expectable.' The lady thought as she moved along down the path.

Tenten made a face at the woman. She _hated_ when people asked her the circus question.

Last Monday, Hanabi had been board. So Tenten had dressed like a clown and did tricks for her. Now, she had not been a silly looking clown. All she had done, was worn an oversized shirt with a large belt, and did her hair in a silly manner.

She had overheard Kiba telling Neji that she was quite a cute clown. Neji had scoffed at him.

She had later seen Neji pounding the life out of Kiba. She had watched this for only a few moments before Neji had shooed her away.

"I must be faster, stronger, undetectable." She scoffed at herself. As if! Nobody was undetectable to Neji. Shoot, he probably had her frigin microchiped.

Tenten stopped and looked at her back.

Did he?

Nah.

Tenten looked at the stone wall. It was tall, but the top of it was a thin and chipped surface. Perfect for practicing defying death.

She leaped into a tree and onto the wall. She began to pace the thing walkway. It was barely a foots width across and she could not stand with her feet together. She stopped pacing, and began to do several dangerous flips and tricks.

After several minutes. She backfliped onto her hands and stopped. She was facing the town. She gripped her soft hands into the hard stone. Her back curved and her heels were above her head.

She forgot how long she stayed like that. It might have been an hour; it might have been a minute. But she felt a need. A need in the muscles of her legs that told her, she was not up high enough.

She _had_ to go higher.

Without thinking, she pushed off with her hands. She flipped onto her feet, but didn't stay there. She then pushed off, not just up into the air, but out into it as well. She saw the wall become farther from her, she flipped into a graceful loop. Then she spun quickly, until the world around her blurred. She suddenly had a gut feeling, and extended her left arm.

Her hand snagged a branch.

Using it, she flipped herself back, after several more loops and spins; she subconsciously flipped herself into a head first free fall.

Straight,

Towards,

The ground.

She saw it, and she knew she could stop herself. Tree's whizzed past her. But she didn't catch one. She instead, held her arm's closer and increased the speed.

About ten feet above the ground, she somersaulted mid-air and nimbly landed feet first. But as she rested her over worked leg muscles, she felt the adrenaline pumping her heart into overdrive. She had _never_ felt that way. But she wanted to again.

But as she lifted herself onto her feet, she saw Neji and the others immerging from inside. She stood taller and pulled her sleeves down lower to cover the scratches from the tree's branches.

Her training time was over. She had work to do now.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Tenten poured the tea into the cups and tried to keep herself from lashing out at Sakura and Ino, who asked her several questions to which she had no answer. Hinata had sent Alice away, and Neji had told Tenten she could leave,

But Ino and Sakura wanted her to stay.

So, doing as the Lady's asked, she did.

Now, she sat between Neji and Lee, across from Sakura. Lee clung to every word that fell from the young aristocrat's mouth as if it were a message from god.

(No offense at those of you who are religious.)

The Sakura and Ino were having a long talk about a masquerade party that would be taking place very soon. Tenten knew little about balls, except it involved dancing and, shudder, dresses.

Sakura and Ino were absorbed in talking about who they would dance with, and Tenten felt her eyes wander across the other at the table. Hinata sat sandwiched between Kiba and Naruto. Naruto sat beside Sakura, who sat beside Ino. Ino had Shikamaru on her free side and he had Choji on his. Shino sat after that. Beside him, was Sauske. Neji sat next to him, and then Tenten, with finally Lee.

(THAT TOOK FOREVER 2 FIGURE OUT!)

While Tenten was doing that, she missed the death glares shot at her from Sasuke. And the returning cold glares from Neji. Finally she leaned over to whisper into Lee's ear,

"Ask Sakura if she plans on dancing with any who ask her." Then she straitened up. She saw Neji giving her a questioning look. But she just hinted a smile at him. A confused Lee, voiced the question.

"Yes Lee." Sakura said. "It would be very rude not to except." Right away, her words clicked in Naruto's mind. And Tenten could see by Lee's face, that it was slowing coming together.

"Neji-san." Ino interrupted Tenten's own thoughts to ask Neji, "Will you be gracing us with your presence this year?"

Tenten sidewise glanced at Neji. The boy had gone stiff beside her. She could feel, more then see, him frown as he shook his head no. Ino shook her head before saying to Hinata, as if Neji had left, "Will your cousin EVER attend the Halloween masquerade? This will be the 12th year he has not attended!"

Tenten again, glanced at Neji. He was drinking his tea, as if the question did not affect him. She turned back when Ino went on with a,

"This is the only ball he has skipped too! What dose he do instead?"

Hinata only said, in her politest tone, "It is a family issue Ino-Chan. And not something he really wishes's to have discussed."

Ino seemed to be unsatisfied with that answer. But she pressed it no further. But she did press Tenten.

"And will you be attending?"

"Eh?" Tenten looked confused. She didn't think she would even be invited. Ino, seeing this, chuckled, so Sakura explained.

"It is a public ball Tenten. Everyone who wishes to go can." Sakura swished her skirt so it brushed on Tenten's legs. She tilted her head saying, "It is fun, to see everyone dressed up. And the music is always agreeable."

"I would rather not." Tenten said. She lifted the pot of tea and offered it to Sakura, who accepted.

"Why on earth not?" Ino demanded. Sakura nodded in agreement, and even Hinata's head shifted slightly in a questioning way. Suddenly Tenten felt very, very trapped. She wanted to be in the sky again, where she could escape their questions.

"Because." She said finally. She placed the pot on the table. "I simply do not wish to participate in anything that has to do with a ball."

Ino and Sakura frowned, but then Shikamaru muttered something about ball's being troublesome, and Ino forgot about Tenten and started to scold him.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Tenten was again out in the courtyard, later that very day. After the other's had left, she had attended to Neji. She found this mostly meant, standing behind him as he sat beside his uncle while people from the village came to ask Hiashi for guidance, help, and other things.

Neji was standing a little ways off from her, not saying much. Finally he spoke.

"Good thing you will not be attending."

Tenten turned to look at him. That was the most he had said to her all day.

"Why?"

"I have something I do every year on that night." He said. He was not looking at her, but staring out across the fish lake. (Lake not Pond. It's deeper.) "And I figure, it would be nice to have company."

Tenten felt very odd. He wanted her to come with him on some kind of family errand? What did it involve? Sacrifice or something? She silently scolded herself for that one.

"Yes sir."

"Tenten."

"Hai?"

"I'm not ordering, I'm asking."

Now Tenten felt like falling over. He wanted her to come out of her own free will? Did he know her that well to know that she would not be able to resist the curiosity? She kicked herself for being so predictable.

"Okay."

Neji turned abruptly. He looked her in the eye and she took a step back. He looked, surprised.

"Really?" He asked her. He even SOUNDED surprised. Tenten felt even more confused. Had he thought she would refuse? What was going on? Did he want her to go or not? Did she want to go or not? WHAT WAS THE QUESTION AGAIN?!?

Tenten put a hand on her forehead and flopped onto the ground in a sitting position. Neji tilted his head at her and she crossed her arms.

"I will go." She said it with finality. He nodded and then, tossed her something. A soft pouch landed with a 'plop' in her lap. She saw it was her kunai set. She glanced at him. Then sweat dropped.

He was gone again.

Tenten rose, attached the pouch, and stanced up.

It was about damn time.

Hexx: I feel ashamed.

Kin: Why?

Hexx: I made them wait sooooo long for this sucky chapter.

Blue: You think every chapter sucks.

Hexx: So?

Blue: If they sucked would they read it?

Hexx: No…..I LOVE YOU GUYS WHO READ MY FANFIC!!!!


	16. Where oh where is the water?

Hexx: We have gotten into a fight so Blue and Kin will not be helping me today.

Kin: Ha ha!

Hexx: Kin?

Kin: Wrong Kin. I'm Orochimaru's faithful servant!

Hexx: (rolls eyes) Oh you. Didn't Shika-Kun kick your ass?

Kin: Humph.

Hexx: I have a note from Orochimaru, would you like to read it aloud?

Kin: YES!!!!

Hexx: Here.

Kin: It says, Hexx dose not own Naruto and Kin of the Sound needs to get out of the recording studio. HEY!

Hexx: Security!!

Blue jumps out from behind door, shoves black bag over Kin's head and drags her out.

Tenten had him. She knew it. She could feel it from within her pained bones. He stood in a clearing, surrounded by her kunai. He was scuffed and nicked, but nothing serious. She shifted slightly and her left foot nicked a pebble. She winced and checked to make sure he hadn't heard.

He was looking right at her.

Tenten rolled her eyes and moved into her plane early. She ran right at him. He dropped low into his stance and waited for her. She ran up close, and then backfliped onto her hands.

She swung her legs and grabbed him around the middle with them. Then, she pushed off with her hands and they swung full circle. She grabbed the front of his shirt while spinning and knocked the kunai out of his hand.

They landed shortly after that. Neji let out an 'oof' as the air was knocked out of him. She sat on his chest, with one knee on each of his arm's, pinning them down tight. She placed her elbows on his shoulder and her head in her hands. She looked down at him with a smile.

"I would say I won, but I am unarmed." She told him. She reached over his head and snatched a leaf from the ground. Then she began to drag it one way, and then the other across his nose. He wrinkled his nose as he glared at her with his ice eyes.

"Good thing you didn't say that, cuz you lost." Before Tenten could ask him what he meant, there was a 'poof' and white clouds erupted in her face. She covered her eyes with her arms and then felt her knees hit pavement with a gentle, 'thump.' Yet she still sat on something.

She now startled a log. She blinked several times in a hazy confusion. She lifted herself from the log and picked up a kunai. Walking back to the wooden object, she nudged it with her foot. Then she knelt down and ran her soft hand across the rough dark bark. Then, she stabbed the kunai into it,

"AGH!" She heard it scream. She dropped her weapon and pushed herself back away from it. She started wide eyed at it. Had she just?

Of course not,

Neji lightly snuck up behind his dazed attendant and carefully slipped a piece of thin rope around her wrist. She spun around to face him and he pulled the rope.

"Ah, ah, AHH!" She hollered as she tried to keep her balance. But that failed and she landed on her stomach. She felt the dirt enter her mouth. When she lifted her head, she spat it onto him.

He brushed it away and when she tried to slap him with her free hand, but he looped the same rope around that one as well. Then he pulled so that both of her hands were together.

"What are you doing Neji!?" Tenten demanded. She tried to pull her hands away but, Neji was not the kind of guy to let go. Tenten struggled with him for a while but in the end, it ended up with her on her back, and her hands over her head. He put his foot on her neck and pressed lightly, not enough to hurt, but enough to prove it's there.

"Fine, fine, you win, now get off." She watched his slowly vanishing figure. The night was drawing in and he was slowly slipping from view. She knew he could still she her, so she stuck her tongue out at him.

"It you do that, someone is going to catch it." He told her with a playful note in his cold voice.

"Oh yeah? Who?" She asked as she felt the rope slacken. He moved his foot and she flipped onto her feet. She ripped the rope off with her teeth. And then rubbed her wrists. She ran to catch up with him.

Neji felt her presence as she drew up beside him. Out of the corner of his pale eye he saw her clasp her hands behind her back and look up. Neji caught a frown dotting on her lips. Her face looked hardened and confused.

Upon closer observation, Neji saw she was staring at the sky with longing. He normally would not press matters that were not his concern, but, he silently felt that SHE was his concern.

"Tenten," He said, his harsh voice breaking the cool air. Tenten jumped at his voice and looked at him.

"Hai?"

"Where do your dark eyes wonder to tonight?" He asked her. He felt that if he confused her, he would not have to worry himself with her. No such luck Neji-boy.

"To the stars, to the sky, to the place I can not reach." She replied, matching his tone and his philosophy. He turned his unfeeling eyes to hers. She looked different from when he had first stood in this spot and looked at her.

Her skin was a deeper color. Her angered face had less anger and more joy in it, but not much. Her eyes still bore their defiant spark, but another spark had also joined it. A spark of understanding. She had empathy running in her veins.

He had seen it, her caring displayed. But it was subtle. The way she held doors. The way she would sneak into the kitchen when nobody (or so she thought) was around and make tea for the cook. The way's played with Hanabi to allow Rebecca to slip off to see whoever she saw. The way she did not waver from his stare, even when his closest friends could not look at him the way she was for more then a few moments.

The way she now bowed lightly and told him, "Tomorrow is Sunday, Neji, and I will be leaving early in the morning to visit the town. Would you still care for me to wake you?"

"No, Tenten." She smiled brightly at him. Her eyes closed softly in a cute way. 'Did I just think that?' He asked himself harshly. While her eyes were closed, he smacked himself.

"Zen Naito Neji-kun!" Tenten waved him goodnight and darted in the door. Neji saw her rush past the window into her room. He blinked. Then he blinked again. Tugging lightly on the bandages that covered his forehead, he breathed,

"Kun?"

……………………………………………………………………………………………

Tenten ambled lightly amidst the other residents of the Kingdom of the Sea, (There ya go CaffineFreePepsi! ) Tenten scowled at the people who looked at her odd. So what if she wore pants? She was comfortable this way. She noticed that when she neared a stand, the owner watched her carefully, as if suspecting she would take something unlawfully.

She felt many eyes on her, but she did not feel the ones she should fear. From beside an apple cart, a large sinister figure occupied a worn oak chair. Dark eyes followed her, trained on her like a cat stalking a brown field mouse.

"One month, and finally, the brat comes out to play." The man said. He rubbed his cloth wrapped hands together. He lifted his hulking frame form his chair and started to move towards her,

"SENTO!" A shrill scream came from behind him. Sento snarled and turned to face the tiny old lady who stood before him.

"Hai, Jin baa-sama?" Sento asked through clenched teeth. This was his landlord. The old lady had her gray hair up in a tight, no-nonsense, bun smack dab on the top of her round head. She wore a black dress with a starchy white apron. In her left hand she held tightly to a broom, as if fearing it would take off and leave her on the ground.

"You are late on your rent Sento!" Jin told him. She swatted at his feet with her old broom. "One more week, Sento, then, you are out!"

Sento nodded and walked away. He silently cursed the girl he was now seeking our, for she had left his sight of vision. It was her fault he was still in this dump of a town. He remembered his mistress's words.

FLASHBACK.

_Sento kneeled on his one knee, his one fist on the cold stone ground, his head bowed. His lovely queen, garbed in red silk and satin, sat before him in a golden throne. Her wheat colored hair framed her pale face. Her ruby lips shown in the dim fire light. Her dark eyes burned small holes into his neck._

"_Sento, I hope you realize, that I am not as powerful as I once was." Mitsuki spoke, her voice floating into the man's ears._

"_Do not be absurd, my queen." Sento said, steely eyed, wishing he could look upon her. But she would never allow that, not yet._

"_But I am not, my Sento." Mitsuki told him from her perch. "My Justus may break, and I worry about that." Sento could hardly resist looking at her as she spoke._

"_So, what is it you wish of me?" Sento asked, his voice quivering._

"_For you to return, secretly, to the Kingdom of the Sea." Sento now lifted his head enough so that he could gaze upon the edge of her red gown. "And upon the first chance you see Tenten, kill her."_

_Sento smiled and the thought. His hands had healed, but horrid scars were left from the time that brat had ripped the chains from his hands. He had found them so displeasing to the eye, that he hid them away from view._

"_Yes, your ladyship." Sento said. He rose, and still looking at the ground, turned to leave._

"_Sento, do not return until she is dead." Mitsuki commanded. Sento nodded. "And when you do, we will plan our glorious wedding."_

END OF FLASHBACK.

That girl kept him from his beloved for far too long. His queen wanted him, and he wanted her. And that brat had stood in the way for far, far too long. It was time, to end it.

……………………………………………………………………………………………

Tenten ambled restlessly around the town. 'If this is the Kingdom of the Sea, then WHERE IS THE WATER!?!' Tenten asked herself, as a bunch of young children scurried past her. One of them stopped to look at her, as if in shock?

"What?" Tenten demanded. Then, the kid did something unexpected. He ran up to her, grabbed her hand, held it to him and before he ran away said,

"We will wait for your return to home, our lady."

"What." Tenten watched the boy dash around the corner. "THE HELL WAS THAT!?!"

She rubbed her hand on the back of her shirt and wandered down the streets. She soon grew tired of the wondering eyes so she turned down a vacant alley an ambled in that direction. She knew quite well she might end up near houses and have to turn around, but she was tired of the stares.

What she did not expect, was to find an old looking store at the end of the alley. The window had an old greenish curtain pulled over it, and in red faded words, Tenten could make out, "White Wolf's books." Tenten read. Shrugging she pulled on the door, finding it open, she went in.

The store was old. Lot's of shelves filled the small space. Tenten found it to be free of shoppers. She sighed and touched the wonderful books lightly as she passed a shelf. Oh how she loved books.

"Can I help you?" A voice said. Tenten jumped and out of instinct took a stance. She found the storekeeper sitting on a stool behind a desk, reading his own book. Tenten quickly dropped her stand and did a respectful waist bow.

The man had silvery gray hair that spiked into one side of his head. He wore a black scarf up to his nose and an eye patch over his left eye. The one exposed eye followed her as she moved closer to the desk.

"Are you going to guess?" Tenten asked him. He tilted his head at her to show confusment. Tenten said, pointing at her pants, "Most people are guessing thief or gypsy."

The man closed his eye in a way that gave Tenten the impression that he was smiling at her. He then opened his eye and ignoring his question asked,

"Did you think I was going to harm you?" When Tenten looked confused he said, "When I first said something, you appeared ready to ward off some attack."

Tenten brushed a bang away from her forehead. "Sorry, instinct, I usually help Neji train and-"

"Neji? Neji Hyuuga?" The man interrupted, taking new interest in the girl. He had not been near someone who had talked to Neji in sometime. "Is he fairing well?"

"Better then I," Tenten said. "For ever scratch I land on him, he leaves twenty. But what do I expect, not having the training needed to properly fight him."

"I see," The man said. Tenten had been looking around the room, so he bade her off. "Go, go, take a look, my stock is great, though my store is little used."

Tenten skittered around, pulling books off shelves, reading the backs and placing them in their spots again. She then saw a book that made her stop. She lifted it off the shelf and turned it over. 'The art of hand-to-hand combat.' She thought about all of her previous fights.

While she had simply attacked Neji with just trying to knock him off guard with random kicks and punches. And Neji, who looked like he was dancing as he fought, never acted so rashly. If she could learn to _actually_ fight, she could win.

"I'll wake this one." Tenten said, dropping the book on the desk, and shocking the man out of his own reveries about his little orange book.

"Yes, who do I make the receipt out to?" The man asked her, slipping the book into a small leathery pouch.

"Only is I may have the name of who I am buying from."

The man smiled, this was one odd girl. Most ladies' who entered his shop were NEVER alone, never so bold, and never picked up fighting books.

"Kakashi Hatake." The man said. The girl nodded at it as if approving of his willingness to be told what to do by a young girl.

"Tenten." Kakashi looked at her. "What?"

"Tenten what, do you not have a surname?" He saw the open willing face close and cloud.

"Not to my knowledge." Kakashi frowned but quickly his sunny side came back up.

"Would you like some tea?" Tenten's face brightened right up.

……………………………………………………………………………………………

"My god, is that the time?" Tenten asked, glancing at the clock on the wall. Kakashi nodded. They had been drinking tea for about an hour or so, and talk had ranged from why she was an attendant, to her fighting skills, to Neji's ability's, to her friends, to his old job, to his old life.

Tenten drowned her last few drops of tea and stood up. "Kakashi-san?"

"Hai?"

"Do you know if the academy would let me train to be a ninja, and not the medical kind?" She had a hopeful look as she gathered her package. But he shook his head.

"But I would."

"Nani?" Tenten almost feel over. Was he offering to…?

"Every Sunday, come here and I will give you the training I gave my own students."

"But, but why?" Tenten was confused. Sure, he was nice. Yes he had been a ninja once. But why train her to be a ninja when he could get into trouble.

"Is that a no?"

Tenten bowed respectfully, and turned to leave,

"See you Sunday, Kakahi-sensi!"

……………………………………………………………………………………………

Tenten walked out the door. It was starting to get dark. She hurried down the alley.

Her package hit the ground, her feet dragged across the dirt and then she was lifted into the air. She clawed at the hands around her neck.

"Do you still open death, as you did before?" The voice sounded close. It was hard and deep. Nails dug into her skin and drew the red liquid.

"Yes." She chocked back. She felt death was always open to a girl with no past.

"Then taste it."

Hexx: Dang, where are the rest of the clips…

Blue: Did you try the…

Hexx: There at Tou-kuns house!

Blue: Oh, then I guess this is the end for this chap, huh?

Hexx: Yep!

Kin: YOU BRATY ORO-LOVING FREAK!!!!

They hear a fight in the back round.

Hexx: Kin-Chan found Kin-teme…huh?

Blue: Yep.


	17. Red Lips I am so bad at tittle names

Hexx: Let us bring out our next reader…..

Blue: He has once again, escaped.

Hexx: This is getting old.

Kin: we brought a back up.

Hexx: Who?

Inuyahsia: WHERE THE HELL AM I!?!

Hexx: O.O YOU GUYS! HE ISNT FROM THIS SHOW!!!!

Kin: He isn't? But Blue said….

Blue: He is a dog demon right? He is from Japan right? Simple mistake.

Inuyasha: I was told to read a spell or something to get this necklace off.

Hexx: Read away.

Inuyasha: Hexx-Chan dose not own Naruto. What's that?

Hexx: Sit Boy.

Inuyasha: GAH!

Neji sat bleary eyed in class. Sunday classes were the only class he did not enjoy. It was pretty much the same thing. Iruka reviewed everything they had learned that week; he lectured Naruto for not paying attention. He broke up a fight between Akamaru and a mouse while Kiba was out of the room. But today, Iruka decided to 'creative'.

"In groups of two, you are to go into the town, and assist the locals in minimal chores." Iruka said. He beamed at his students, clearly feeling proud for his idea. And then, Naruto spoke,

"But Iruka-sensi! Ninja fight to protect their kingdom! Not to do errands!" Naruto spoke for what the majority of the class felt. Neji just settled back in his chair and waited for Iruka to explode at Naruto.

Countdown, T-minus 5,

4,

3,

2,

"NARUTO!" 1. "Being a ninja is more about fighting! It is also about helping! Have you guys NOT seen the local assist ninja?"

Neji had. They were like normal people, except for the gleaming ninja headband setting them apart. Neji knew this was where ninja, who couldn't stand blood, couldn't travel, were new to the job or just couldn't cut it in the ninja world, went to uphold their ninja vows.

"Yes Sensei." Naruto said. He scribbled something in his orange and yellow speckled notebook. A gift from Hinata. Neji watched the boy with amusement. Hinata was head over her heels for this baka?

"Let's get this project rolling." Iruka said, breaking Neji's reveries. "I. along with some assist ninja, will be watching you guys." Iruka searched the room to be sure he had their attention. "Okay, and the teams are, Naruto and Sauske, (don't kill each other.) Shikamaru you will be with Shino. Kiba and Neji, Lee with Choji." The boys looked around at their new teammates. "Why are you still here? Go!"

A swift 'whoosh' of wind and they were out of the room. Iruka smiled.

"Finally, a Sunday off!"

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Thank-you kindly for the help boys!" An old woman waved Kiba and Neji off. Her shop now had a fresh coat of paint and clean windows.

"Thank-you for lunch!" Kiba called back. They began to scout out their next job. As they passed a woman raking her yard, two children, presumably hers, ran up and began to tug on her dress.

"Mama! Mama!" The little girl said. Neji and Kiba picked up the urgency in the girls voice.

"What is it love?" The woman asked, setting her rake down. The girl stood stiff and regained her breath.

"Mama, I saw a man pick up his son like a dog!" The little girl indicated someone lifting another by the neck. "And then started to shake the boy around!"

"Mama, it wasn't a boy! It was a girl!" The son said. His sister turned on him.

"No it was a boy! It wore pants and a riding shirt!"

"It was a girl! Kem spoke to her! And her hair, it was in Buns Mama! What boy wears buns?"

Kiba snagged the boy bye his shirt back. "What alley?"

"Three down and one over…why sir?"

Kiba released the boy and turned,

"Neji doesn't it sound like……..Neji?" Kiba turned his head this way and that, but the prince was gone. Kiba dropped his gaze down to his white doggy companion. The dog looked up at him and nodded. Off they ran.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"How long is this going to take?" Sento demanded. He shook the being in between his hands and she spat more blood onto him.

"As long as it dose." She told him. Sento wondered if he was ever going go be rid of her. That stone wall was beginning to look very, very hard.

"Ahh!" Tenten bite into her cheek as he slammed her head into the stone of the wall. He pulled her back and then smashed again. Tenten felt the blood well up in her mouth and drip down her face.

"I must say you are quite strong." Sento said as the blood ran off her head and onto his hands. "If you were a boy, you would make one hell of a ninja."

"I…will….be…." Tenten chocked, blood spurting with each word. Dyeing her pale lips red. Her eyes began to fade and her hands clawing began to slow. Sento squeezed harder.

"HAKKE KUSHO!"

"Ah!" Tenten heard her attacker grunt. She felt his blood flick onto her own pale face. His grip let go of her neck.

She felt herself falling, dropping farther then she should have. Then she felt arms close around her stomach and felt someone pull her into their chest. She looked up bleary eyed. All she could see was a tan like fabric. She smelled wood and wind. Then she saw Kiba rush past and attack her assailant.

"Don't!" Tenten yelled causing Kiba to stop. Her holder gripped her tighter when she began to chough again. "Don't stop him….let him go."

"I think your brain has stopped working." Kiba told her. He reached out to take her from whoever was holding her, but they didn't appear to be letting her go anytime soon.

"Don't make her talk." The voice of her savior spoke. Tenten widened her eyes, and against her body's wishes, she pushed back on the chest of him. Tilting back her head she found her now re-coloring eyes meeting white ones.

"Neji?" She felt her head throb as she spoke. Neji laid her down on the ground. Both of them began to search for where her attacker had fled to. Akamaru crawled up onto Tenten's lap and began to clean her wounds with his tongue.

"Neji." Tenten called. He came to her side instantly. He was glaring at her and Tenten knew why. He was mad that she had not been able to defend herself. How was she supposed to tell him that she didn't _want_ to defend herself?

"Why didn't you let me die?"

She never got an answer. She passed out at that moment. Neji lifted her up into his arms bridal style. He knew ninja wise he should put her on his back, it made his travel easier. But he didn't want to put her where he couldn't see her.

"Coming?"

"Oh course."

As they took off on the roof tops, heading for the academy, Kiba spoke up.

"The masquerade ball, it falls on the 31st, yes?"

Neji nodded. Clearly Kiba just wanted to break the dark mood.

"A darkened anniversary."

Hexx: HAPPY BELATED HALLOWEEN PEOPLE!

Blue: We feel we must inform you that…..

Kin: That in the Naruverse of Hexx-Chan's mind,

Blue: It is not yet Halloween for them.

Hexx: Ba-bye!


	18. Flying Dog DUCK NEJI DUCK!

Hexx: We will waste no time on this. TON TON!

Ton Ton: Bree bree?

Hexx: Read.

Ton Ton: Eh?

Hexx picks up spatula and frying pan.

Ton Ton: BREE!!! Bree-chan bree bree bree Naruto.

Hexx: Close enough.

"How can she be fine?" Kiba asked in disbelief. He flung his arms to the side to show astonishment, sending Akamaru flying into Neji. Sakura held her clipboard up in self defense.

"I don't know! Tusande-sama told me she was fine and sent me to tell you!" She had a shaky voice and mumbled something about hyperactive animals and tranquilizers.

"But what about ALL OF THE BLOOD!?!" Kiba said, again tossing Akamaru around as the dog clung for dear life. Neji smacked Kiba over the head and in his icy voice asked,

"Yes Sakura, what about all the blood?" Sakura fiddled with a pen. She hated been glared at, especially by psycho pup and ice man.

"We don't know." She said finally. She has bruises along her neck and indents where her attacker's nails had been. She also has a large bruise on the side of her head. But we couldn't find any open wounds." She looked up and said again, "_Any_."

"I am _leaving! _ And the next damn doctor who tries to stop me will need their _own_ services!" A commotion was heard from the door behind Sakura. All three of them turned to face it. Moments later they heard,

"Hey what is that? Is that a needle? HEY HEY HEY!!! Keep that thing away from me. No! Stop! What did I _just_ say?" A crash was heard followed by a, "I am sooooo sorry, but I really, _really_ have to go. But thanks for the drugs, whaddya call them? Anastics."

The door opened and Tenten slipped out, waving goodbye to a man who was on the ground crawling away as fast as he could. She turned around and skidded to a stop.

Kiba stood staring at her in a very confused pose. Sakura had her face hidden by her clipboard. And Neji just folded his arms and glared at her. Tenten clicked her tongue and wagged a finger at him.

"Don't even try it Neji. That glare is not going to work today." She lifted a patch of her hair to show him a large angry purple bruise. "The doctor said the skull was intact and my brain is fine." She then indicated the wrappings around her neck. "No bleeding here ether, just medicine over the bruises."

Neji shook his head at her and turned to leave. Tenten naturally fell in step behind him. Kiba and Sakura blinked. Finding her voice Sakura screeched.

"Neji-san!? Your gonna let her leave? She is ill and drugged! How can you-" She stopped speaking when she saw nether of the two were listing. Neji opened the door and walked out. Tenten pushed it open and before she left, a blonde woman charged out of the back room.

"HEY! You have not been cleared to leave!" Tenten halted and looked at the woman quizzically.

"Tusunde-sama!" Sakura said joyfully. Surely Lady Tusunde would make Tenten go back to the hospital bed!

But no, Sakura, life isn't fair for you today.

Tusunde handed Tenten a slip of paper and removed the medical bracelet.

"NOW, you're cleared to go."

Sakura and Kiba fell over, landing on poor Akamaru. Tenten nodded, shot the woman a quick smile, and ran outside to catch up with Neji.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

During the walk back to the castle, Neji was able to convince Tenten to at least spend the rest of her day off quietly in her room or the library. This had been a loud argument which Neji had only won by stating that the less she was seen, the less likely Lee was to jump her to make sure she alright.

As soon as she had disappeared down her hall, Neji went straight to his Uncle. Sure enough, Hiashi had been informed about the attack and when Neji entered the room, saw his uncle waiting for him behind his desk. A red haired ANBU ninja stood beside him. Peter was leaving as Neji had entered.

"I have been informed that she doesn't know her attacker?" Hiashi said, getting strait to the point. Neji nodded. "Well, if she was released we have nothing to worry about." Neji sat down to indicate there was more to be said.

"She was able to withstand being strangled for over ten minutes." Neji said. Neji was content to know that she was okay. But his mind was not okay with not understanding how. Hiashi glanced at the ANBU beside him.

"Neji, this is Leo Obi. He is the ninja who went inside Tenten's memories." Neji nodded briskly at the man. Leo removed his mask from his mouth so he could be heard more clearly.

"You are wondering why she is healed and unharmed. Right?" Leo asked. Neji again, nodded. "She is used to going without air for minutes on end, do to her 'spells'" Leo finger quoted the word. Neji informed them he had witnessed such spells before.

"So her withstanding of strangulation is clear. What about the blood. Where in the world did it come from if she has no open wounds?" Neji asked. Leo looked uncomfortable,

"It is the result of a worried mother."

Blink, blink.

"You see, the dragon guarding Tenten's memories, is worried that her children will be born within Tenten. So, she wants her kids to be safe, meaning their _home_ must be strong." He indicated that Tenten, was the home.

"So, not a word to her, and let her think she was attacked by a weakling?" Neji said, guessing the most likely course of action his uncle would take. An assuring nod and Neji was off. Ready to act oblivious to her.

"Neji, are you still planning on taking her with you next week?" Hiashi said. Neji sharply in took some air.

"Hai, Uncle."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Are you sure you're okay?" Hinata asked. She looked deathly pale after hearing the news from Tenten's mouth.

"Of course of course." Tenten waved her hand dismissively to the worries. Hinata had been hunting through Tenten's room, looking for a book the bookkeeper had told loaned to the attendant.

"I really am sorry of intruding," Hinata said again, fiddling with her fingers. Tenten clucked and said,

"This is _your_ house, not mine, _I_ am the intruder." Hinata laughed at that and sipped her water. Tenten had asked her to stay, she had wanted to talk.

"So Hinata-Chan," Tenten said, tracing her finger around the rim of the glass. "I think there is going to be a wedding in this castle." Hinata chocked on her water and Tenten laughed, patting the princess on her back.

"Neji…he…?" Hinata said. Tenten fell backwards onto the floor laughing. She shook her head so fast it blurred in Hinata's vision.

"Not Neji! (Ha, ha) heaven and hell no! I am talking about Peter and Rebecca!" Tenten resumed her laughter and let the Hyuugan princess think about that.

Peter was tall, pale and had a red hair that made his head look like it vanished if he stood in front of a sunrise. Rebecca was dark, her skin like the coffee her father drank and her hair blending nicely with the night.

"As much as they may lover each other, it shall not happen." Hinata said sadly. Tenten rolled off her back and into a sitting position. She urged Hinata on with her statement. "I mean, it's not illegal or anything!" Hinata said quickly. "It's just," She started sadly into her water cup. "It's just looked down upon." Hinata sadly placed the cup on the table and started into her hands. "No church will marry them."

"Then I will!" Tenten said. Hinata snapped her gaze onto the girl now standing before her.

What a sight she was.

Brown hair up in twin buns, with bandages peeking out from under her bangs. A bandage chocker around her slim neck and a dirty white shirt. The sleeves were torn and her black pants and boots muddy and wrinkled. But she looked so determined, her brown eyes set on its new goal.

Hinata smiled. She stood and came to stand beside Tenten. She leaned in and kissed her cheek. Tenten was startled and looked at Hinata, who smiled.

"You are going to make them very happy." Hinata curtsied and turned to leave.

"Hinata." She turned around and squeaked as something was tossed at her. The Hyuuga caught it crookedly in her hands. It was the book she had been looking for.

"Arigato." Hinata said closing the door.

"Arigtato." Tenten whispered in return. "You have giving me acceptance."

Hexx: Sucky sucky sucky. Why do I keep writing?

Blue: Because you are good at it, and you just won't admit it.

Hexx: Humph. PEOPLE READING THIS FANFIC!! IF ANY OF YOU DARE PUT ANYTHING RUDE OR FLAMISH ABOUT HINATA KISSING TENTEN'S CHEEK…..YOU WILL PAY!

Kin: It was a simple and friendly kiss. They are not lesbians.


	19. SHE HAS STOLEN DA CURTAINS!

Hexx: Come on out now!

Blue: He isn't here.

Hexx: WHY!? WHY DOSE HE KEEP RUNNING AWAY!?

Kin: I'm not sure…but we got a sub,

Hexx: Oh? Who?

Tobi: IM A GOOD BOY!

Hexx: O.O;

Blue: OH DEAR GOD!

Tobi: Hexx-sama doesn't own Naruto-kun! .

It was a warmish fall day, the yellowing leaves floating about and the green grass browning. On that day, Tenten sat in the garden beside Rebecca. Hanabi sat on a swing a few feet away, swinging as another child her age pushed her.

Tenten took in the two children. The girl pushing the princess was the child of a lord who was visiting. She had her deep brown and red hair pinned into a loose gather to keep it from her green eyes. Hanabi looked so pale in contrast, her dark black hair only making her look more ghostly. They bore smiles and laughed at nothing at all. Hanabi wore a blue play gown contrasting with the bright yellow one of her companion.

"Tenten, you don't have to keep me company." Rebecca said, breaking the girl from her observations. Tenten turned and looked at her, a swift smile on her face. Rebecca felt the wind swirl around Tenten fro a brief moment, then nothing.

"Rebecca, have you thought about it?" Tenten looked at her, expecting an answer. The dark woman took in the girl with her dark eyes. Tenten looked a smiling, bubbly mess. She had bandages running down her left arm, around her neck and her head. Her hair was up in twin buns, but with plenty of fly aways.

"I really, don't know," Rebecca looked at her ward, then back at Tenten, "I love him, and I would like to marry him, but who would marry us?" She moved her sewing to look at the plain silver band around her finger. It was Peter's promise, but that was all it seemed it would ever get to be.

"Well that's easy!" Rebecca snapped her head up, mouth opened slightly and she looked at the girl. Tenten smiled her wicked smile and jabbed her thumb into her chest. "I will of course!" Her smile became a thoughtful line and she looked up carefully, "Or at least I'll _find_ someone too…"

"All that is good and wonderful my dear!" Rebecca said, laughing at the thoughtful and worried look taking over the youths face. She waved the fabric into Tenten's face to get her attention. "Besides, I wouldn't have a nice dress"

She felt a hand on her shoulder and she looked up. Tenten had her slim hand on her shoulder, and was staring off into the distance. Suddenly, Tenten was up and running, Rebecca blinked, and Tenten turned around, still running backwards mind you, to yell,

"Tell him YES!"

……………………………………………………………………………………………… 

Neji stood at the front door and blinked. He rubbed his eyes and looked again. He turned to look at Lee to make sure he wasn't the only one seeing this. Sure enough, Lee was gapping at the sight, his large eyes growing larger. Neji cringed and looked away to avoid becoming sick.

Tenten, in all of her bandaged glory, was struggling down the halls that lead to her room. In her arms where several white curtains. Neji looked at the head cleaning lady, who was holding a now empty basket. He walked looked back at Tenten who was muttering profanities along the hall as she stumbled, smiling all the way.

"Ma'am," Neji said, the woman with that basket looked at him. He walked over and she curtsied before looking at him, cringing as he spoke. He rarely spoke to people and he had gotten the reputation of a deep rooted earth hater.

"Yes your majesty?" She looked at his shoes, since her own where hidden by her worn pale blue dress.

"What is my attendant doing with the curtains? Last time I recalled, she didn't need any new ones, and certainly not that many." The woman brushed a graying hair back and said,

"I'm not sure my lord, your uncle was having me toss them out, but she asked for them. I didn't see the harm in giving them to her."

Nodding Neji began to walk away; he raised his hand to the woman and wagged a finger. "If it can do harm, Tenten will find it."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Tenten lay on the dirt. Mumbling something about Neji and his 'nightvison'. He merely sat on her back and smirked. She was getting better, he noted, she had actually, almost worn him out. Standing up he hoisted her to her feet.

"You ready for tomorrow?" He asked her. She blinked at him blankly. He shook his head and took her arm pulling her towards him.

"What are you doing?" She hissed dangerously. He simply picked her up and ignored her angered protests. He ignored her pounding his chest and he ignored her yanking his long hair.

"You over worked yourself. And with your injuries that's not a good thing." She slowed her attack but did not completely end it.

"I can walk Neji! Put me down!" He did not such thing. Instead he stopped walking and looked down at her. Her brown eyes flashed danger and he smirked. After a few moments she folded her arms and huffed. Neji smirked wider and readjusted her in his arms.

"Tomorrow, when the guests are arriving for the ball, you will meet me here." He informed her. She looked up at him, but found herself staring at the bottom of his chin. She nodded and he felt her movement agenst his arm.

"You don't have to change or anything." He informed her brassily as they neared the door. Tenten let out a relived sigh and Neji chuckled, earning him a 'thump' on the chest.

Hexx: Kinda a filler chap.

Kin: Yep.

Blue: We shall start the next one now?

Hexx: Yes. And if any of you guys haven't seen it already, I also have a new Vampire story up. NejixTenten, cuz they are the funniest to write about! XD


	20. Candle on a Grave

Hexx: DISCLAMER!

Genma: Hexx-san doesn't own Naruto.

Hexx: (gives secret file) Here ya go!

Genma: Humph, (whispers) Black-mailing little author……

Neji stood outside the castle door. Beside him stood his classmates. After what they had just heard, none of them where really interested in opening the door……

"I HAVE AN UMBRELLA AND I WILL USE IT!" Tenten was yelling at someone and a fumbling was heard. Then another voice, muffled by something covering the face said,

"GET IT! SQUISH IT, DO SOMETHING!?!?" The voice was high-pitched and Neji took it for Sakura's or Ino's. Sharp panting was heard low to the ground and then a bone chilling smash was heard.

"Oh my god." Hinata was heard, and then a 'thump' of her passing out on the floor. And then the cheeriest voice in the world said,

"I killed it for you! Now, Alice how about fetching me a mop?" Tenten asked the girl in her sunshine voice. Neji grumbled about her attitude towards killing small animals as he glanced at a horrified Kiba.

"Tenten what did I, oh my lord." Neji had opened the door to a massacre. Tenten had not killed ONE rat…she had killed a rat reunion. Her umbrella was covered in the thick red blood and the rats all had their heads bashed in.

Ino and Sakura hugged each other, standing atop of a rickety chair. Hinata was passed out behind them, her mother standing over her…..hey wait…..her mother?

Neji looked again and sure enough, his Aunt Chi stood, looking both amused and amazed. But at what? Well at the girl striding towards Neji and his friends asking about their day and taking their coats.

Chi was a slim woman, her hair black like her children. Her eyes where a very pale blue gray, and her skin was normal for the region. She smiled at the boys and inched away from the blood.

"Sorry about that Chi," Tenten said. Neji was about to tell her about honorifics but Chi just waved it off saying,

"It's okay Tenten; it will be cleaned up before the guests arrive. At least you got rid of our rats! Eh hee hee hee….."

Tenten was in her place. Right behind Neji's right shoulder, almost beside him but not really. Close enough that he didn't have to turn his head to see her, far enough that if he wanted to touch her, he would have to walk a bit.

Neji nodded to his Aunt, who had been away for a while, visiting her father. Tenten seemed to like her, and as long as a battle royal wasn't going down, they could all relax. His aunt wasn't a physical fighter, like Tenten, she was more into the, mentally terrorizing you to get her way. She really was a sweet woman.

Patting each boy on the head in turn, Chi leads them all to the grand hall. They all knew what was coming and there was no escaping the inevitable doom, not from Chi at least. She quickly paired her daughter to dance with Kiba, Ino to dance with Neji and Sasuke took his place with Sakura. They all knew the drill.

Dance one dance, switch partners and dance again until each person had danced at least once. Then they where free to go. Chi did this because she thought them all lovely dancers, and often complained of not being able to see them actually dance during a ball. Her guilt techniques had created this arrangement.

Tenten plopped herself down on the small stone steps that lead to the thrones. Cupping her chin in her hands she watched them all with weary eyes. Chi picked up a violin and stood, her back to the attendant, and played a tune.

The dance started and Tenten watched half heartedly. The dance wasn't as interesting as the faces being made by the dancers. Hinata was red and staring at the ground, or more likely her light blue skirt which was in the way. Kiba just looked at her head. Sakura was talking non-stop to her partner, a smile pasted onto her face. Sasuke wasn't hearing a word. Ino was looking all over the place, occasionally commenting. Neji, now Neji was just, oh what is the word? Dull. Tenten felt like falling asleep by watching his lack of expression.

Then the song changed, and Tenten perked her ears up. She knew this song! She _knew_ this song, but how? She felt the sinking feeling creeping up in her chest, and she grabbed her arms. Her forehead touched her knees and she stayed still like that.

The song ended and the partners switched off. Neji was able to dodge the draft, giving Ino up to Shikamaru, who complained the whole time while Ino scolded him. Neji did the most obvious thing, he sat beside his attendant. She was curled up in a ball and he suspected she might be laughing; by the way her body was shaking.

His hand tapped her shoulder but she didn't stir. His eyes narrowed as he recalled the most likely detail of Tenten. Tilting her so she was sitting up, he saw her brown eyes wide, and wavering. Her mouth animatedly moving as if screaming. Her body was shaking from the lack of oxygen and her hands where grasping her arms so tightly they where starting to whiten. Carefully, he placed one hand on her forehead and the other on the back of her neck. Slowly he placed her back the way she was and he simply waited.

Like always, her spells didn't last long and soon he heard her give a chough, indicating the return of air. Her hands where pulled to her face and she sat up, slapping her cheeks to return blood flow. They didn't look at each other. As far as they knew, the other was oblivious to what had just happened. Neji was called back up to dance, this time with his cousin.

Tenten smiled, upon seeing Hinata look at her partner as she danced, instead of the floor. Tenten was well aware of the fact that Hinata was afraid of Neji, but at least she was making an effort.

Tenten was silently cursing herself. Her vision had held nothing of importance. All she got out of her airless moments was the knowledge that in her past she received numerous ballroom dance lessons. Nothing important. Tenten blew her bangs with a rough gust of air. She had had hundreds upon hundreds of pathetic and worthless memories.

Never a name, and place, a date, nothing. Nothing to tell her who she really was, she thought, perhaps she would always be Tenten, no name, family or history.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Tenten stood in the garden, her cape billowing around her ankles in the wind. Her face was lit by the soft glow coming off of paper lanterns billowing in the twilight breeze. She heard the chatter of the guests arriving and sighed, Neji would be another ten minutes, and then they would be off to wherever he was taking her.

He stormed out, annoyed that the introductions had taken so long. He spied her on the path, her face tilted up towards the stars, her black woolen cape a sway. He walked past her and didn't say anything. He soon heard her feet crunch along behind him, following him towards the back gate.

It was soon too shadowy for Tenten to see, but she said nothing. Soon Neji came to an abrupt halt, turned around, grabbed her hand and lead her into a carriage she had not noticed. She sat down and found it was almost pitch dark inside. She heard Neji climb in, the door close, and the tapping of Neji telling the driver to go.

"Can you see?" Neji asked, his voice across from her. Tenten shook her head, knowing well enough that he could see her. She felt his smirk. Soon a flicker of flame was seen and Neji had lit a lantern, which hung from a hook between them. Tenten quickly looked about. The seats where velvet and royal blue. The walls of the carriage a dark crème color. Golden accents around the handle of the door.

Neji himself, was dressed slightly nicer then usual, but still silent and well…..Neji. Tenten picked at the sleeve of her white shirt before asking what she had been wondering for nearly a month.

"Where are we going?"

"Someplace you will never find again." He told her. He smiled slightly at her confusion before stating, "Nobody but the Hyuuga know where it is, so you will have to forget its location." Tenten rolled her dark eyes muttering how lose of memories seemed to be quite an easy feat.

After a few more minutes of silence, Tenten noticed something's. One, Neji was counting the paces, slowly and measured. And Second…….

"But Neji!" He looked at her, still keeping count. "The driver knows where it is doesn't he?"

"Actually," Neji said, shifting in his seat, "He doesn't"

"Then how are we-AHHHHH!" Tenten yelled as Neji lunged. He wrapped his arm around her middle, through open the door and jumped out, dragging the frantic yelling Tenten after him.

They tumbled down a grassy hill, Tenten yelping all the way and calling Neji things that would earn her a smack if she where still a slave. Finally, when they came to a stop, Tenten found herself laying atop the Hyuuga and her cape knotted up beneath him, while still remaning around her neck.

"Uhhhh….." Tenten said, trying to get up, but chocking as her cape pulled at her neck. "How do we….." Neji placed his hands on her shoulders and rolled over so her back felt the grassy earth under it. He stood up and Tenten was up and running up the hill away from her crazy friend.

"Don't bother." Neji called, walking slowly up the hill. "The carriage won't be back for a few hours, and we have a hike ahead of ourselves." Tenten was glaring at him, while trying to brush her loose hair out of her face. Neji chuckled and started walking into the woods. Tenten looked back at the long dark dirt road, and then into the dark, planted infested woods.

After about a half hour, the woods began to thin, and Tenten could see the moon higher up in the sky. Soon a worn path appeared beneath their feet. Neji slowed his walk to a stop, softly laughing as Tenten crashed into his back. She rubbed her head and came to stand beside him. Her eyes scanned what was before them.

It was a low, vines covered stone wall. Over the wall where several graves. As Tenten looked harder, she gulped. There where lots and lots of graves. Neji walked over to a small opening in the wall, beckoning for Tenten to follow, which she did slowly.

They walked silently and softly to the back of the graveyard. Tenten was reading the headstones that passed. She slowly noticed that all of the graves held deceased ninja. Finally Neji stopped at one grave, and looked solemnly down upon it.

Tenten read out loud, softly, "Hizashi Hyuuga, brother, father, leader, ninja," She sucked in her breath as she spoke the last part, "Missing in Action."

"That's right," Neji said, his voice tight. "He isn't even under here." Neji dropped to his knees and placed his forehead on the ground before the stone. Tenten, not knowing what else to do, copied his movements.

"He didn't want to be buried with the royal family." Neji said, Tenten heard him sit up, but she didn't move. She just listened to him speak.

"He was my father, Hiashi's twin brother. And he just vanished and I never got to know way or what happened." He didn't seem upset. But Tenten felt tears welling in her own eyes. She wouldn't let them fall, not here, not in front of him, even if they where for him.

"You and he where a lot alike." Neji said, looking at her still kneeling form. She was trying to be respectful, since she didn't know how. He smiled and slipped his arm under hers, lifting her up. She shrieked and then cupped her own mouth to silence herself.

"Both of you where stubborn and hot headed," Neji said, laying some things atop the grave that he had brought with him. Tenten remembered the candle Hinata had given her and pulled it out, ignoring the confused look from Neji. Placing it on the edge of the hard gray stone, she reached into her pocket and struck the match.

After the candle was lit, and Neji had said a few moments of pray, they began to hike back. Not another word was said. Not when they got to the road. Not when Neji pulled Tenten back into the moving carriage. Not when they returned home, or went to bed. Nothing, not a word could be heard.

Neji lay down and thought about it. He hoped he was clear to her why she had needed to come. He needed her to know, need her to understand why she wasn't as alone in her unknowing of things.

Tenten flopped onto her bed and curled into a ball, thinking. He didn't know, he wondered about his father, like she wondered about her life. She fell asleep feeling both closer and farther from Neji.

Hexx: The end for now, I think it was a so-so chap.

Blue: Christmas one next?

Hexx: Not Christmas, Holiday.

Blue: (rolls eyes)


	21. Just a Note, not a Chap

Hey you guys, I am HORRID at writing holiday fics, (for proof see my drabble collection) So I am not even going to ATTEMPT one. Plus it would be a bit late anyway…..But I am going to say Happy Holidays and a VERY Happy New Year!!

I don't really want to write a Winter Chap for this story, so unless you guys want me to, I'm gonna move right into spring.

With love, Hexx.


	22. Winter Chap XP

Hexx: Let's Start!

Gaara: She doesn't own Naruto-kun.

Hexx: Thank-you!

Gaara: Hn, now give me my headband back.

(hands it over)

The weeks passed quickly for Tenten. She worked extra hard on Saturday's because on Sunday's she left early in the morning to reach the bookshop unnoticed. She didn't want another run in with Sento. Her bruises had healed and Neji had begun to spar with her again, and though her aim was impeccably, his ability to dodge and his hand-to-hand combat kept her from winning.

So far, Kakashi had told her the history of Shinobi, explained the names of most ninja tools, and had begun to access what she already knew about fighting. He had told her that her fighting appeared to be mainly a thrashing of her legs, while her arms did the damage.

Neji noticed how on Monday's she would seem tired and worn, but he didn't press, it wasn't his business. Then, one cold Monday morning, he was awoken by something jerking him out of bed and shaking him.

"What?" Neji said, after Tenten had let go of him. Her eyes where wide and she was out of breath. He looked at her, bundled from head to toe and her breath raspy. He sat her down and waited for her breath to return.

"Your uncle," She finally said, white puffs of air leaving her mouth along with her words "Asked me earlier to make a trip to your school to find out if you would be attending today,"

"And am I?" Neji asked, unsure why he wouldn't be. Tenten shook her head, and then grabbed her head for she had now given herself a headache from the sudden movement.

"And Neji," Tenten said, yanking the scarf from her neck and the hat from her head. "The white stuff is very very cold; I must say it's miserable."

"The snow." Neji told her, shaken his head. Sometimes she was very informed, and then things like this happened and she didn't have a clue. After sending her into her own room, he quickly dressed for the cold, well aware that at least one person would make the long cold trek up to visit them.

After breakfast, Neji, Hinata, Hanabi and their attendants sat in an upstairs room. Hanabi plunking carefully at the piano keys. Hinata needle pointing and trying to start a conversation, but failing to say something. Neji read, and ignored the sound coming out of the piano.

Chi bustled in and out through out the day, mostly checking on them. Then she came in near lunch, saying that Lee had been spotted a few thousand yards from the castle so he should be their in about an hour.

"We weren't positive at first, but we are sure now that the moving green dot on the horizon is your friend." She explained, while adjusting Hinata's thread to make it easier for the girl to sew.

Tenten was playing cards with the other attendants when she heard this and shuddered. As much as she enjoyed Lee's company, she wasn't sure her headache could handle him. But who knew, maybe he would be so tired from his walk he would be mellow.

HA HA HA HA!!! Yeah right…..

Lee burst forward into the warm room twenty minutes before he was expected. Rebecca had immediately scooped Hanabi up and took her off someplace quite; saying now would be a good time for her French lessens.

"YOSH! GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE!!" Tenten winced as her head throbbed. She stood and gave the boy a hug, shivering at how cold he was. She snatched the blanket off the chair from behind Neji's head and tossed it over him. He smiled his smile and accepted gratefully.

Thanks to her headache, Tenten found the day pass by rather slowly. Lee stayed until four, and then left, starting his long walk to his home. Tenten had waved him off; Neji had just stood in the wind and watched the receding figure.

"Hey Neji." He heard the girl beside him say, he started to turn his head when something white and cold smacked into the side of his face. He froze as the snow dripped off his face and his eyes bore into the laughing maid.

Tenten gasped as Neji began to chase her. They darted through the hallways, slipping around people and barreling outside the backdoor. Once there, she once again snowballed him in the face.

Their game went on, the two of them both trying to make the other both wet and cold. Tenten had been crotched behind a tree, when Neji had snuck up behind her. Grabbing her middle he dumped a handful of snow down the back of her shirt and bounded away, chuckling at how she had shrieked when the ice had hit her skin.

The snow in the ears had been unfair. He had no idea how she had gotten it there, but it tickled and chilled him all over as the snow melted. With his gloves he couldn't get it all out, and when he tried it seemed like he was just making it worse.

After a while, they both where called inside. Neji had to clean up for dinner and Tenten went to work building a fire in the dinning room. When Neji entered the warm glow cast a shadow on the two princess who where sitting with the girl and asking about the game. Tenten obliged and when dinner started, she bowed out and headed for the kitchen to eat with the other servants.

"Neji, did you have a good day?" Chi asked, slicing her pork from her end of the long table. Neji nodded and looked at his cousins across from him, who where just about ready to explode with laughter.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Hexx: I told you, I can't write winter fics

Kin: We did our best.

Blue: So deal with it.

Hexx and Kin: BLUE!!!!!


	23. It's my problem

Hexx: Okay, DISCLAIMER!!

Sasuke: Hexx doesn't own Naruto-baka.

……………………………………………………………………………………………

Tenten wasted no time on the first Sunday of April hurrying to her lesion. Winter had drug on and she was sick of it. Kakashi-sensi had a problem with the cold so most of the time she was getting history lesions and reading books.

This was the last time they would be inside, he had promised. She bounded towards the castle gates when she froze. Standing at the edge of the gate, she saw Sento. He was just passing by, pushing an apple cart, but his eyes burned into her and he smirked. Around his hip, in a sheath, was a dagger. It was meant for her.

Turning around, Tenten decided to go the long way.

……………………………………………………………………………………………

Tenten grumbled around the shop, sweeping. She had run in order to be on time, and her teacher was still late. After she had swept, she plopped down on Kakashi's stool and looked about. Seeing an orange book, she picked it up.

"Itcha Itcha Paradise." She read. Shrugging she flipped it open to the beginning. After approximately 2.2 seconds, she closed it again. Twitching she fiddled with her scarf, then her hat, and then she tried to read the book again. This time she was able to read a paragraph.

The 'ding' of a bell as the door opened alerted her. Looking up and smiling she expected her sensei or a customer. In waltzed her silver-haired teacher. Oblivious to his lateness. Tenten wondered silently how someone could come so late. Especially when they lived above their shop.

"Yo!" He held up one hand in greeting. Tenten pitched the orange book at him, smiling as the corner clicked with his forehead. "Okay, I guess I deserved that." He chuckled, picking the book up and stowing it in his pocket. "Today is our last history lesion!"

Tenten groaned and rolled her eyes, but smiled. She enjoyed being thought things, it filled up the empty spaces in her head.

"Sensei, can you explain something to me first," She said, hopping off of his stool and going to her own. "It's been bothering me for sometime now….."

"What is it?" Kakashi asked taking his seat and opening his book, he didn't start reading; he kept his one eye on the young girl.

"Well, this is the Kingdom of the waves correct?" She asked him, recalling it with ease.

"Yes."

"Okay, then where is the FREAKING WATER!?!" She exploded, falling off her high stool and landing on her back on the ground. Kakashi sweatdroped as he watched her regain composer.

"Well, that's simple." He began. "The Kingdom of Waves is an island surrounded by the water which you speak of. We are in that kingdom, in the middle of it to be exact, in a town known as the Leaf Village or more comingly known as Kohona." She nodded along as he spoke, thinking of how obvious it was now that someone said it out loud.

"Oh, okay…" She smiled sheepishly. He handed her a book on weapons and their lesson began.

……………………………………………………………………………………………

Neji and Shikamaru sat in the palace library, rummaging through books all about the Kingdom of Rose. More specifically, about girls born there about seventeen to sixteen years ago.

"Anything?" Neji asked. Shikamaru yawned and shook his head. The logs had tons of names, but not one of them was Tenten. Shikamaru closed a gray book, coughing as dust flew off the pages and into the air.

They had been doing this every Sunday for about a month now, ever since Tenten had confided in Neji that she was having no more visions. She hadn't been happy about it, since she still couldn't recall her last name, family, parent's occupation or anything past seven months ago.

"What are you doing?" A voice demanded. Shikamaru jumped at the wrath driven voice. Neji only sighed.

"Sasuke who let you back in here?"

"Your Aunt did actually." He informed him, coming over to where they sat. "Wonderful woman she is."

Sasuke lifted the cover of one book to read its title. Smirking he said, "Are you so sick of her that you're going to find her parents and return her?" He laughed arrogantly, "If they sold her into slavery, then I doubt they are going to want her back."

"Shut it Sasuke." Neji hissed. He didn't notice Shikamaru stand and leave. He didn't notice Shikamaru bowing at the person standing by the door. And he didn't notice this because of the anger he felt right now distracted him to much.

"Why don't you just fire her if you don't like her?" Sasuke inquired.

"This isn't about her behavior." Neji informed him. Sasuke laughed.

"Then what? About her worries? Has she complained about the life here compared to her wonderful Rose Kingdom?" Sasuke nudged the conversation with a sharp red poker.

"No."

"It surprises me that a vicious creature like that could come from a place of Roses." He said, pacing back and forth in front of the couch where Neji sat, rigid and seething. "She seems more like a thistle then a rose to me."

"Are you just going to bad mouth her all day?" Neji asked.

"Are you going to keep letting me bad mouth her?" Sasuke shot back. Neji frowned; it was true he wasn't saying a lot in her defense…..but that didn't make it right.

"Tell me honestly," Sasuke said, stopping now and looking at him with his onyx eyes a glow. "Why are you trying to find her?"

"Because she doesn't know, and she wants too." It was the truth, it was simple, and it was also the reason the person in the shadows fled the room. Fled and didn't look back.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Neji walked out into the dark cool air, ready to begin his spar. He half expected her to attack him right away, like she had stated doing on Sundays. But instead it was still, with the exception of the wind.

He became aggravated after about twenty minutes, when she hadn't shown. He knew she was out there, he could feel it. She shifted and he heard. Wasting no time he leapt to her hiding spot and stood before her, stanced. He waited for her to attack or run, but she did neither. She stood, glaring at him, her arms crossed.

They stared at one another, feeling the wind and seeing the shapes around them darken. Her eyes where hard, and her mouth set in a grimace. Neji let his eyes harden, matching and then surpassing her glare.

She bent and broke under his stare. She shook her head at him and whispered. "It's not your problem."

"What?" He said, his voice cold and hard. It was easy to freeze, hard to melt. Tenten lowered her eyes.

"It's my problem; I don't want you to work on it."

"What are you talking about?" Neji demanded. But Tenten started to move away. Angered, Neji shot out his arms, catching her by the shoulders. She let out a yelp as he turned her back to facing him. Slowly and with force, he repeated the question.

She got angry; she hit his chest and pushed aaway from him, trying to break his hold on her. "I'm the one who can't remember! Not you! You don't need to worry OR care!" She grit her teeth and thrust her hand up into his chin.

"So what if I do?" He challenged, her hit had stung but not hurt and now he was most likely bruising her shoulders with his grip. "Don't you want to know?"

"NO!"

Her word stopped him. He looked at her, uncertain if she was telling him no to her captivity or no to his question. She grabbed his hands at the wrists and gently pried them off.

"I don't."

"Why?"

"Because, I have a life!" She told him. Her eyes shining yet dry. "Because I don't want to fill it with things that will take it away!"

Neji looked at her, she was smiling at him. Her head tilted back so she could fully see him. Tenten's light brown hair was bound tight, her light brown eyes where glowing soft. She stepped lightly towards him, waiting for his response.

"You don't want to know who you where?" He said finally, thawing a bit.

"I just want to know who I will be."

……………………………………………………………………………………………

Hexx: END CHAP!

Blue: REVIEW!!

Kin: Please?


	24. This is how it goes

Hexx: GO!

Hana: Hexx doesn't own Naruto!

Kiba: Sis, can we leave?

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Neji had told Shikamaru that the searching was off. Tenten had been very clear that she was happy being who she was at the moment. She worked to her fullest ability, smiled more often, and spent a good amount of her free time making something in her room.

It was fairly large, and white in color. That was all Neji knew. He had walked in on her sewing it once or twice, but she had hidden it so fast he couldn't be sure. She spent more and more time in her room, almost to a point where she missed meeting Neji when he came home.

But she was tight lipped about the whole subject, not even confiding in Hinata exactly what she was doing. Neji decided to be the upfront person he was and ask her about it.

"Tenten,"

"Hai?"

"What are you making in your room?"

"An article of clothing."

"For you?"

"No."

"For who?"

"Not telling."

Neji's mouth was a thin grim line. She smiled at him and he knew she wouldn't divulge something like that so easily. Maybe another tact……

"What kind of clothing?"

"A gown."

"To be worn daily?"

"To be worn once."

Neji flicked his mind about. The only time a dress was worn once, was for one of two things. One, when the girl was dead and being buried. And two, when she was getting married.

"Is the occasion soon?"

"Possibly."

"Is it sad?"

"No."

That was all he needed to hear. He didn't press her, he didn't nudge her. All in all, it wasn't his concern. He waved her off and said she was free for the rest of the day. That was on Monday.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

On Tuesday she was sitting on a rock, dangling her feet into the water, Tenten enjoyed the spring air. She shivered as she felt the icy cold breeze and she laughed. "Ello dear sir, how may I help you today?"

"Nothing really," Neji said. He sat beside her, meditation style. "And don't call me that."

"Dose it bother you?" She asked him, her head tilted and the buns looking like curious ears.

"You know it dose."

"So I simply MUST call you that!" She laughed. He sighed and closed his eyes. Nothing really happened as the wind blew between them.

"Shall we begin?" He asked finally, minutes, perhaps hours later. Tenten nodded, stretched, and dashed off, ready to awake him and his ninja abilities.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

The trouble with Tenten was that she went so far. She was up so high; most of Neji's attacks couldn't touch her. She preferred to try and snipe him from the air then a bush, the wall then a tree and to his face then his back.

The problem with Neji was his ability to see it all coming. He knew of her advances and recedes and so he could dodge and attack before her next move was planed. It was on this day, watching her with his activated eyes, that he noticed the change.

Usually, the chakra that ran through her was calm and moved like a life force. That's how chakra always appeared on non-shinobi people. But now, the blue energy was flared, intense and enticed by battle. It flowed to her feet with each leap, propelling her higher. It shot through her arm, tossing her weapons harder. It trickled to her eyes, training them on the details of her target.

The question Neji held was this.

Was this chakra movement being used by her subconscious, or did she know what she was doing? And if the second, who had thought her how?

She spiraled up, sonbon receding from her finger tips. A deafening crash startled her, caused her to loss balance, and with her back to the ground, she fell.

Neji would have saved her, if she had needed the saving.

Purple-black chakra came from the air. It shaped and molded itself to a large fierce dragon. Neji watched in wonder, as the creature cushioned her fall, stopping all injury and harm.

This creature, invisible to the unaided eye, had come from the center of his attendant's forehead. And that is where it returned, once it was satisfied that she was safe. Tenten just lay on her back, staring at the sky breathing heavily and smiling.

"Are you okay?" He demanded, reaching her. She nodded and stood. With her foot she tapped the hard packed dirt.

"It's softer then it looks." She noted, surprised. She hadn't seen, nobody, but Neji, had seen.

"Yes well, are you sure your fine?" He asked, through his eyes he saw the chakra calming and returning to an apparent unused state.

"Geez Neji, I said I was fine!" She was laughing now; completely unaware of the danger she was in. Unaware of what lived inside of her, waiting for freedom and holding the real Tenten, hostage.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Okay Tenten, you are talented, but I think weapons are your utmost skill." The silver haired teacher told her. She looked about his backyard. It was strewn with the proof.

She knew how to teleport, substitute, vanish, walk upon walls and how to stop her heart, to appear dead.

But all in all, her weapons where her prize.

"They slow me down though," Tenten stated. All the many weapons that where now on the ground and trees, had at one point been on her person. Keeping them all concealed was hard enough. Removing and using them without fully stripping, another challenge.

"I see, " Kakashi tucked a fist in his pocket while the other motioned her to come closer. As she did, he pulled out two small blank scrolls.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Sitting under a tree, writing on her scrolls, Tenten glanced up momentarily to observe the soccer game taking place before her. Sakura and Ino stood closer, yelling at them to win. Hinata sat halfway between her two friends and Tenten.

Neji, Naruto, Lee and Kiba where on one team. Shino, Shikamaru, Choji and Sasuke occupied the other.

The game was at a stalemate. This means simply, that nobody was winning and nobody was losing. The castle, Tenten noted, was bustling.

Chi, being the Queen AND Ambassador, would be leaving soon to go on her diplomatic missions. Before she was to, a ball was going to be held. This one Neji was expected to go to, so in relation, so was she.

As if they where evil mind readers, Ino and Sakura turned and pounced upon her. She barely managed to hide her scrolls before they where upon her.

"You don't even own a dress!?" Ino said, shocked beyond belief.

"S-she has a n-nightgown." Hinata said, in the attendant's defense. Sakura shook that off.

"That yellow thing? It's more of a mans nightshirt then a woman's nightgown." The rose haired girl chided. They now sat in a circle, Tenten with her back to the tree, Ino and Sakura on either side and Hinata across.

"Well I don't need too!" Tenten said defensively. "I'm just going to stand in the back and wait to be called for assistance!"

"That's what _you_ think." Ino said smartly. "Chi excepts EVERYONE to dance at least once, even the servants." She nodded her head, her blond hair flicking about.

"Then I will dance in pants." She said sourly. She hated the idea of a dress, they frightened her. Also, she was afraid, that if she where to place one on her body, a memory would take her over.

"Oh that's such a bore!" Ino complained. "Don't you want to look pretty?"

"No."

"TENTEN-CHAN!" Lee broke the silence and for once, Tenten was glad Lee had such a loud voice. Jumping up she strode over, away from the three nobles.

"Yes Lee?"

"Him." The boy pointed behind him, at the red haired ANBU member. Tenten scowled and took a step back.

"Sorry Miss, but I have to check some things." Leo told her from behind his mask. She violently shook her head.

"I'm not ill. I don't need checking."

"It's needed."

"No."

"Please Miss, don't fuss."

"I am not a 'Miss,' I am Tenten. And I am not 'fussing' I am refusing." She glared at him, completely ignoring the others around her. Leo sighed in defeat and lowered his voice.

"Your going to experience large headaches soon, when that happens, come see me in the ANBU tower." With that he left, and Tenten stormed back to her seat.

"Headaches, HA!" She said. Sitting. "As if head problems cause anything." And then to herself, she said. 'Right Mei?'

"Right my love." The soothing voice replied. A warm, feeling came over Tenten as she tuned back into the conversation.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Hexx: DONE!

Blue: Hope you liked it.

Kin: We shall be working on the next chappy soon.

Blue and Hexx: GRRRRR SCHOOL!


	25. Taken Away

Hexx: HEY GUYS!

Kin: We don't own Naruto.

Tenten wondered if she was sane. After all, she WAS speaking to a pregnant female Dragon inside her head. Mei, the dragon of the dark.

It had happened suddenly, after Kakashi had thought her how to access and conceal her chakra. In a meditation period, Tenten had imagined a chakra her, running about her mind seeking out her memories. Despite what she had told Neji, she did want to know, she just didn't want help.

She had smacked right into the dragon, Mei. She had reared back, her purple wings flying out, making her huge. She sniffed the chakra and ate it……since then……

Tenten could now speak, or 'think' to the dragon freely. The wonders that it knew! But it wouldn't tell her why it was there, only that she did need to see Leo, her life depended on it!

That was where she was going now, she didn't want to, but much persuasion from Mei and Neji had made her. Approaching the ANBU tower, she glowered at the shinobi who milled around. How she wished to be one of them! Wait, did she just think that?

Leo was waiting for her, which annoyed her since she had not told him she was coming. His short red hair was a mess behind his mask. His eyes invisible, but a smile clear by his tone.

"Tenten-Chan, glad you decided to come." She shot him a look and he cleared his throat. "Tenten."

Walking with him, she asked Mei to be silent, she couldn't seem crazy while in a ninja's presence, they may think her a security threat to the prince and remove her from her post.

"Its good you came, it really is." He informed her. She rolled her eyes and nodded. What was this all about?

"Sit please," He instructed and she did. He knelt by her head and placed one hand on each side.

"Remember," Tenten said sharply, "Outside when finished."

"Of course."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

The dragon was a bloody idiot. Leo thought, as he carried the attendant's body to the yard. The stupid beast had thought that by talking to her, then the birthing of the baby dragons would be easier. No it only made it worse. Now Tenten would KNOW what was happening when it did, and that could push her into a shock factor.

Now, normally dragons lay eggs. That is for NORMAL dragons. Mei was one of the eight god dragons. There was Life, Death, Sun, Moon, Water, Earth, Light and Dark. Chinese dragons, Leo noted. This was not a surprise. The kingdom of Rose was in China.

Leo did admit, she was much easier to be around when she was asleep. Looking at her closed eyes reminded him of his sister, she had looked like that too. Dropping her gently onto a stone clod bench he tipped his invisible hat at her before striding off. He needed to inform the King of the new information.

Tenten lay on her back, her hands in a fist over her stomach. Her eyes closed and her mouth parted slightly, allowing whips of air to pass in and out. He found her there, and he now sat by her, sketching the serenity on her face. Such a beautiful thing, to bad she had to die.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

The blood smeared all over the courtyard displayed the fact that she had fought back. Neji smiled inwardly at that. That was his girl alright, fighting back till the end. Nobody had been found but plenty of evidence was. Her blood was clear to Neji; it had a smell to it that he had memorized from months of fighting with her.

He did feel sad, just a bit, after all she was dead. Why someone had felt the need to kill an amnesia plagued attendant was beyond him. He glared at the people who went to work cleaning her blood away; after all, it was all that was left of her.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Hexx: What is wrong with me?

Therapist: That's what I am here to find out.

Hexx: O.O okay guys, sorry for the bad chap.


	26. She isn't in Heaven, don't kid yourself

Blue: MWAHAHAHA WE MANAGED TO CONFUSE PEOPLE!

Kin: Blue that's not nice!

Blue: But it is! For you see, the scheme of things is in play, but its still hiding. OH THE JOY OF IT ALL!!!

Kin: You scare me.

Blue: where is Hexx?

Kin: The therapist took her away.

Blue: Well then, achem, we don't own Naruto.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Neji Hyuuga was a stone. He was an unfeeling, uncaring stone. This persona was giving the members of his family the wrong ideas about how he felt towards his attendants disappearance. They thought:

Chi Unsure how to do things like before.

Hiashi reverting back to pre-Tenten behavior.

Hanabi Normal.

Hinata was perhaps the only one with an inkling of how he felt. The only one who was able to risk the harsh winds of his words, to ask him if her thoughts where correct.

Hinata Hyuuga Angry, bitter and sad.

Sad was a word that had never before been attached to Neji's name. Bitter once or twice was mentioned, but never stuck. Anger, that one must have been written on his arm beneath the bandages. That one had always been there.

Hinata was like a small weak dandelion. Her white seeds clinging to her stalk desperately. And one word from Neji's cold and angered form may unleash the wind to blow them all away. But she was going to ask. She was going to find out.

Because Tenten deserved to know.

Tenten's spirit deserved to know what her old ward thought of her. If he missed her or mourned. She deserved to.

Of course, Hinata and Chi where among the select few who persisted in saying that Tenten was still alive somewhere, hurt and struggling, but defiantly kicking. Hinata had shuddered at Neji's hateful eyes when that idea was made. She didn't understand it.

Leo had been suspended. His failure to sense the intruder had caused him to be demoted and placed in the guard's wing. He felt horrible, and Hinata almost felt sorry for him, then she saw the stained flowers and whipped the sympathy off.

She was now sitting in his room, on his couch waiting for him to return from the academy. She noted, with a grim feeling in her gut, that none of the other students have visited in since the vanishing.

"What are you doing in here?" The voice was icey and so abrupt that Hinata jumped, and let out a soft pale shriek. He was standing at his door, which she hadn't heard open. For a moment she considered charging past him, and running back to her room. Then her eyes fell upon the thing she had brought for streangth, and stood tall.

Well not tall, only about two, maybe three centimeters taller then point five seconds ago.

Neji stared at her, closed his door, and sat down. Hinata remand standing.

"This is about her isn't it?" He asked in a surprisingly tired voice.

"No this is about you."

"How so?"

"Your acting like you have no life, like there is nothing to make you happy, your acting like, like, like" Hinata shivered at a lose for words.

"Like before she came." Neji finished for her.

"Yes, you don't seem to feel sad about her death," Neji cut her off.

"Stop saying that, all of you STOP saying that!" He had stood up and was now looking down at her.

Darn genetics…..making females generally smaller.

"Bu-" Hinata began again,

"No, I don't want to hear that word." He began to pace before her "She isn't dead. She has just left."

"Neji you saw the blood!"

"Yes and I saw the blood from when she was attacked in the town, she isn't dead."

"Then where is she?"

"Left I imagine." Hinata was confused but Neji seemed to have it all figured out. "I knew it was only a matter of time before she was fed up and decided to go home. To try and find out whom she really was. I believe she staged the killing to make it easier on herself."

"HOW!?!" Hinata said. Raising her voice for the first time in her life.

Not including the screams of terror she admitted during Tenten's rat massacre.

"If all you could remember was one place, and a certain group of people, and a few odd shadows of the past, would you saw goodbye when you left?"

"Of course!"

"Now, really, would she?"

Hinata lowered her pale lilac eyes; she knew he spoke the truth. "No….."

"Exactly."

"But Neji, what if, WHAT IF," She said the second part quickly, so that her hypothetical nature was clear. "What if someone really did kill her…..or kidnap her or something like that."

"That is the simplest question anyone has ever asked me Hinata" Neji Was looking out his window now, and Hinata felt his aura calming at whatever he was thinking.

"What?"

"Why, kill them of course." Hinata was surprised at how calm he was…. "In a long, cruel brutal fashion."

"Revenge?"

"No, that's Sasuke's bit." Neji turned and smiled a crooked smile at her and Hinata shivered. "It would be a gift, to her immortal soul. That way, her ghost, and his ghost could play together in hell."

"But she would be in Heaven." Hinata said softly. Neji laughed a sound that Hinata was not used to hearing. Now Neji was flat out scaring her.

"Keep telling yourself that."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Kin: We hope that is a satisfactory chapter for now. Hexx has currently retreated behind a pile of school work and will soon return.

Blue: She also feels really bad right now due to state testing.

Kin: Please, bear with us.


	27. So much in a short time

Hexx: (drops to her knees) IM SORRY

Hexx: (drops to her knees) IM SORRY!! T.T I didn't mean to be so late.

Kin: (drags in Shino) Now say it, and say it RIGHT this time.

Shino: They don't own Naruto.

Kin: Hexx……Blue's not here…..

Hexx: (sighs) let's go find her.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………**..**

Neji sat staring at the table in front of him. It had been clunked down and filled with all kinds of sweets and drinks. If he lifted his gaze, he saw the milling girls from the village that had come to fill Tenten's position.

The food was their "Gifts of service and our promise of quality" Neji wanted to hit them with something heavy. An odd girl with black hair had offered to let him smack them with her keyboard, but then two other girls dragged her away, scolding and talking about the color blue.

If he turned his gaze to the right, he saw Hinata whispering to her father about what Neji had told her. To his left, Hanabi was trying to figure out why the keyboard had buttons with letters on them, and why it didn't sound like a piano.

Behind him was a dark nothing, which Neji desperately wanted to slip into and run away. These girls annoyed him, and they flirted from a fair in the most ghastly way. He considered using the fork to stab out his eye, and then he wondered why he was thinking like Tenten.

Then he looked up and wondered if she was trying to kill him, even in her absence.

Finally, with a thick sigh, he rose from the table.

"I'm going for a horse ride." He said evenly, daring anyone to challenge his choice. A few girls offered to ready his horse for him, but he silenced them with an icy glare. Striding out of the room, his black boots squeaking with every step.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………**..**

His stallion was beige, with black tipped hoofs and mane. The tail flew behind the animal as it galloped across meadows and old dirt roads. Neji clutched the reins and felt the sting of wind on his face.

He nudged the horse towards a river, urging it to run along the banks. The reflection of the running creature shimmered in the corner of his vision. In the distance the glint of something metal glinted in his eye, and he nudged his horse towards it.

As he drew closer, he saw what looked like a gypsy wagon. Only one, with a mule type animal eating grass nearby. Sitting on the grassy slop looked like a young man. Another person stepped out of the wagon, leaping to the ground on bare feet and laying in the grass by the man. Long brown hair graced the figure and Neji felt his heart beat with a sense of curiosity.

Tugging the reins, the horse slowed to a trot. The closer he got, the more the Hyuugan Prince could see. The boy, facing the river was painting on a pad of paper in his lap. His hair was short and black while his clothes matched in color.

The other figure, which was sprawled on its stomach, head resting in bandaged hands, was clearly female. And Neji felt anger and joy as he drew closer. For he knew her well.

"Tenten." His voice was sharp and harsh. Both figures's looked up, and the girls face bright like the sun. She was on her feet, and then at his horse's side twisting the mane in her fingers.

"You found me!" She was happy, and she looked well taken care of. Her pants where ripped, and peeking from the rips where the gray wrappings of long bandages. Her face had one fading bruise on the side of her head, but it didn't seem to pain her.

Neji wasn't sure how fast he had dismounted, but he was hugging her now, laughing as she laughed. Finally when he let go of her, he allowed her to turn to the painter. She beckoned the unknown boy towards them with her hand.

"Sai, come here Sai." She called; he looked at her with black eyes and rose with a slow grace. "Come meet the prince."

Neji and Sai bowed to one another, Tenten beaming at them. She talked as if she had said nothing in a long time.

"It was horrid I tell you, wakening up to having your leg stabbed! They didn't want me to run away you see. But I killed one of them, the other one. And once I did the third and second one dragged me back to their wagon. After they had taken me half way to the destination, I tricked and killed the second one. Now we where heading back to the castle, and you find us first! Neji is everyone well? I didn't cause any problems when I left did I? I hope not." She sucked in another breath of air as if to say something more, but Neji halted it with a finger on her lips.

"Everyone misses you; they all think your dead." Her eyes widened at the word dead. His ice eyes snapped to Sai. "You where one of her captors?"

"I was."

"And she did not kill you, why?"

"I helped her kill my second comrade and I was taking her back to her home."

"Why?"

"I did not think it was necessary. Why my lady would want to have an attendant killed was not logical." Sai said. Now that Neji looked at him more carefully, he could see the assassins build to him. The training showed in the way he stood, spoke, and behaved.

"Who is your mistress?"

"Neji, I don't think these are very nice questions." Tenten interrupted. She looked tired, but she was trying to hide it. "Can we go home now?"

At her words Neji turned to her. Grasping her at the waist he lifted and placed her side saddle on the horse. While she adjusted herself, he turned back to Sai.

"Where will you go now?"

"Anywhere but home. I wish not to go their."

"Why is that?"

"I will not be ruled any longer by someone who should not be in power." He said, striding over to his mule, leading it back to the wagon.

After Neji had mounted the horse, reaching around Tenten to grasp the reigns, he looked at Sai for a moment. Finally, as he turned the horse around back towards the village and castle, he said. "Come to the castle anytime you wish. Your part in her disappearance shall not be mentioned." The mercy in those words shocked Neji. Before, Neji was sure he would have killed him right there.

But Tenten clearly didn't want him dead. She would have killed him herself. Now she faded to sleep, leaning back on his chest and her hands gripping the black mane of the stallion.

"Thank you your majesty." Sai said, bowing as he lashed his mule to the wagon.

They left Sai back in the dust as the horse galloped away.

He didn't seem to mind.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………**..**

As the horse slowed to a trot on the wooden draw bridge, Neji felt her sigh. Tilting his head down he saw her eyelashes flutter, indication her awakening. The guards seemed surprised to see her sitting there upon the horse. One of them darted back into the castle, no doubt going to spread the news.

Neji let himself smile. After all, nobody saw it, since it was hidden by Tenten's head.

Hinata was the first one out of the door. Sakura and Ino following on her heels. He heard Tenten admit a small groan. She wasn't ready to deal with all of her friends.

Dismounting, Neji lifted her from the saddle. She walked towards them, her smile not forced and quite bright. The three girls hugged her tightly, encircling her like they would never let go.

However, Tenten managed to escape. She assumed her place, just behind and almost beside Neji. He smirked at her and led her to the throne room.

The girls from earlier still mingled, and they ceased talking when they entered. Hiashi half rose and Chi made a delighted laughing sound, as she clapped her hands in joy. The girls began to whisper to one another.

Tenten turned to them, hands on her hips and head cocked. "This position has been filled."

……………………………………………………………………………………………………**..**

Leo stood tall at his post on the north wall. It was cold and there was little standing room. If he walked forward four feet, he fell off into the moat. If he left his post he would be unpunished, since he had chosen that post for himself. For his own punishment.

He heard a noise, the sound of something soft scraping along the stone wall. Turning his head he looked at the corner, waiting for whoever it was to appear.

She walked on the very edge in riding boots. Her hand scrapped the wall as she walked over. Her head tilted in wonder at him.

Leo felt like crying. How dare a ghost come to haunt him. How dare the form of the dead girl come taunt him here. She already made his dreams hell.

"I suppose insanity is my punishment." He said to her. She shook her head. "Did you come to kill me?"

"Leo, I don't think you fully understand," The ghost began. He lifted his sword to it, for it had never spoken to him before.

"She who is dead should go to the after life. You shouldn't torture your soul here." He said shakily. Tenten half closed her eyes at him.

"I'm not dead."

"Yes you are."

She held up the hand that hand trailed on the wall. It was rough from the stone and small cuts where bleeding small drops of blood. Rubbing her hand on the grass, the cuts appeared to heal. Finally, she took that hand, and took from him his sword.

Leo took a step back, ghosts couldn't do that. She was real.

"I came to inform you, that I spoke with the king." Tenten said as she cast the guard's tool into the moat. "He told me, to give you this." She held out her other hand.

Leo wanted to cry with joy. In her hand, was his mask. He hugged her, kissed her head and placed it on his face.

"It suits you." She said.

"Thank-you."

"Welcome."

……………………………………………………………………………………………………**..**

"Who are you writing too?" Neji asked, standing beside her as she wrote on the parchment.

"Someone in the village who undoubtedly misses me and wonders about my well being." She told him, smiling at the way he followed her around.

The doctors had found nothing wrong with her, but they had suggested that someone should watch her to be sure no signs of a concussion arose. Neji had assigned himself that job.

Sealing the letter, she wrote an address on the outside. Neji tried to read it, but she hid it behind her back. Coyly she smiled at him as she slid it into her desk. She would mail it later.

"When can I fight you again?" She asked, turning sideways in her chair.

"How long where you gone?"

"A month,"

"Then in two weeks."

……………………………………………………………………………………………………**..**

Hexx: And there you have it!

Kin: She's not dead! Yay!

Blue: Cut the happy Kin.

Kin: Mean!

Hexx: (ignoring them) I had this chapter written actually before I wrote the story. But I had to go back, rework parts of it and try to make it as descriptive and interesting as possible without having it suck.

Blue: So, we ask you now,

Kin: Did it suck?

Hexx: Inform us at once please. And I shall start on the next chapter right away.


	28. Several Moments of Silence

Hexx: Here we go now,

Hexx: Here we go now,

Kiba: Blue Foxx Productions does not own Naruto.

Kin: Why is it named after _her_!?

Hexx: (sighs) Later….we will discuss this later…..

……………………………………………………………………………………………………**..**

Neji sat on the red couch, a pile of books to his left and Tenten to his right. Both where so absorbed in there own books that they hadn't noticed the people coming in and out of the room all day.

Not that it mattered; nobody had said anything to them.

They where broken from there reverie by Hanabi's piano lesson

The loud clacking of the keys that accompanied the tune had startled Tenten, her book had clattered to the floor and for a mili-second she had leaned on Neji. Then she leaned over and collected herself. Tucking her legs under herself, she thumbed through the book till she found her place.

Hanabi had snickered at the attendant's response, but Rebecca had hushed her and the lesson had started.

Now, it was silent again. And Neji wondered if it was bothering her as well.

"Tenten?"

"Hai?"

"Would you play a tune on the piano for me?" She paused at his request; after all it was nowhere near what he normally asked.

"Yes sir," She said, tugging a strip of fabric into her book to save her place. Then she leaned across him, placing her book lightly on the pile. She didn't notice he had stopped breathing, or that he was looking at her.

Standing, Tenten stretched, lifting her arms above her head and letting out a contented sigh. Then she slid onto the piano stool, her fingers resting on the cool keys.

"What would you like sir?"

"Something sweet," Neji said, glad his voice didn't falter from lack of air. He turned his eyes down to the story, and fought with himself to keep them there.

Tenten chewed her lip; she didn't know what to do. Fumbling with the music sheets that had been left, she selected one at random. The pace looked slow enough for it to be sweet, then she sucked in a breath.

Sweet? What the…..

"Neji," She swung her legs around the stool, turning her body as she looked at him. He glanced up at her.

"Hm?"

"Are you sick?"

"No. Why?"

"Just wondering!" She said quickly, spinning back to the piano before any further comment could be made. Neji raised an eyebrow and then dropped it again.

The keys barely made a sound as Tenten's fingers passed over them nimbly. Only the soft sound of the tune filled the room and the hall. Her eyes scanned the sheet as she played; completely unaware that Neji had abandoned the book all together and was looking at her.

She let her fingers pivot on the keys, smiling as the tune became sweeter and lovelier. Tenten wouldn't admit enjoying such a girly thing, but she did.

The song came to an end and as the last note faded away into nothingness, she turned to face him. She jerked back a little, surprised to find he had been looking over her shoulder. She brushed off the shock and stood up, nearly nose-to-nose with him.

"Was that sweet enough for you Neji-_kun_?" She stressed the last part, enjoying the way his eyebrows shot up and then down in a fraction of a second. She stepped nimbly past him as he followed her with his eyes. At least she thought he did, it was so hard to tell when the iris blended so well to the rest of his eyes.

"Wonderful," He said, watching her as she trotted back to the couch.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………**..**

Tenten sat on her bed, straining to hear the night noises. After another ten minutes of waiting, she slipped off her bed and pulled the shiny white fabric from its hiding place.

She had to put in extra time on the dress, since she had missed a month of work. Sewing by the candle light she hummed to herself. Then she paused, needle in mid-air as it dawned on her what she was humming,

"Dancing bears……painted wings…." She whispered to the candle. Shaking her head she wanted to slap herself. It was the _same tune_ she had played for Neji that day.

"Thank-goodness I didn't start singing" She said, laughing to the fabric. It felt heavy between her sleepy fingers and she yawned. She had to finish this sleeve before bed. Shifting her weight on the bed, she felt the cold press of her necklace on her skin. She touched it, thinking about what had been said.

She had struggled in battle with her three kidnappers, splaying the first ones blood around. The one, who had woken her, Sai, had been sketching her sleeping form. It had baffled her, to see him shaking her shoulder.

Then the other man grabbed her from behind when she sat up and Sai had stabbed her leg…..Tenten shook her head. It was all a blur of unimportant battle. The most important thing came to her on the caravan, heading away from her home.

The fact that Tenten had just thought of the castle as her home didn't even cross her mind.

Tied up, and gagged because her threats had gotten on the fat ones nerves, Tenten was reduced to counting the nails in the ceiling. Her ears had heard where they where going, some person wanted to kill her in the woods.

Sai had come to give her water, since they wanted her alive when they got there. When he had slid the gag from her face, she had jerked her head away from his hands. As she twisted her necklace had jumped out of the folds of her shirt, smacking Sai in the forehead.

The exchange between them had been silent. He had stared, she had fumed. Then, he slid the necklace into her shirt, slid the gag back onto her face, and untied her hands. Slipping a dagger into her fingers he whispered for her to keep her hands behind her as if still bound.

"Does the brat have water?"

"No." Sai said in his monotone voice. "I can't get it to her."

"Hmph," The other clanged a pot to the table. "Give it here."

When he had kneeled down, she had stabbed him and that was that. By the time she limped to the other room in the caravan, Sai had assembled first aid and was turning the mule around.

He had told her snips of information, and his puzzle personality was too much for her to figure out.

The gist was, she was royalty.

She didn't know how high in the ranks, or what happened to land her where she was. But she did know that she was Chinese. That much, was certain. But Sai didn't know anything about her memories at all. Not even who her parents where. Or if he did, he didn't tell her.

Stiffiling a yawn Tenten folded the dress and tucked it back into its place. Then she slipped between the sheets, and went to sleep.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………**..**

"That's not funny!" Tenten pouted. She and Neji where sitting on the stone bench by the pond, and she was soaking wet. A blanket was wrapped tightly around her and she was glaring at the prince.

"If it was me you would be dying from laughter." He told her, his smirk very smileish. Tenten huffed and looked away.

Incase all of you are wondering why she is wet, then I shall explain. In FLASHBACK!! (Blue: Please excuse her, she isn't all there in the head today. Kin: Or ever.)

Tenten ran out into the courtyard. Her hair bound up and her movements freer then before with the absence of the bandages. She saw Neji, standing stone still, his arms at his sides facing away from her.

The bushes covered his lower body, so Tenten didn't know that he wasn't on solid ground, until she was underwater spazing out.

Now we bring you to the current moment.

Tenten stuck her tongue out at him and he shook his head. "How was I supposed to know you where gonna walk up behind me?" He asked her. She huffed and tugged the blanket tighter.

"Tenten." His voice wasn't teasing anymore. She looked at him, and turned pale. In his hands, was her half finished scroll.

"Where did you get that?" He didn't answer. "Give that back," She reached for it, and he held it away. She slid closer to get it and he tucked it behind him. She glowered at him and bit her lip.

"Tell me where you got it and what it is first." He said evenly. She sighed.

"Neji is that really important right now?" She looked at his face. "Of course it is," She sucked on her lip considering her options.

"Well?"

"Well," She repeated. "It's a scroll that I wrote."

"And what does it do?"

"I don't know yet. I just know I'm supposed to fill it with the names of weapons." She squeezed a handful of hair and the water fell onto some roses.

"For who?"

The stroked of genius that hit Tenten hurt. It seriously caused a tremor of pain to course through her small form.

"It's for the recorded room. You see, they need an up to date log on all the weapons, and I volunteered to help. That's what I have so far and if you lose all my hard work then I will-" He cut her off by plopping the paper in her lap.

"Okay okay, calm down." He said, teasing again. She huffed and pulled the scroll to her under the blanket.

"Now you tell me something." She demanded. He blinked. "Come on; tell me something I don't know."

Neji resisted informing her that there was a lot she didn't know.

"Like what?"

"I don't know, how come your prince if the king is your uncle? Tell me that!" Tenten wasn't going to admit that she only wanted to know so she could have a better idea about how royalty works.

Neji paused a moment. His jaw clenching and his demeanor closeting off from her. She gaped a bit at him, when he looked away.

Moments later he faced her again. His face blank but his tone normal.

For Neji normal, I mean.

"My dad and my uncle where, obviously, brothers." He began. Tenten shifted to face him. "Both of them where princes. When my uncle became king, my dad remained a prince. When I was born, I was born with the same title as my father."

"So your gonna be a prince your whole life?" Tenten asked. He smirked and shook his head.

"No, I will be king one day."

"How come? Wouldn't Hinata be Queen or something?" She asked, trying to reason.

"No, you see the throne is passed by male blood. If I wasn't born, then Hinata would be come Queen."

"Oh."

"Oh."

……………………………………………………………………………………………………**..**

Sakura and Ino peeked at the pair from there hiding spot behind a tree. They where too shocked to move. Neji never talked in that voice, or about that subject.

Ever.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………**..**

Hexx: All Done for now! I'm really sorry for the late update. School….eh.

Kin: We thank you for your patience.

Hexx: Oh yeah, my friend said she found some fan art for this story, but doesn't remember where it was. So if anyone knows where any fan art for any of my fanfics is could you tell me? I would love to see it.


	29. Preball Jitters

Hexx: Kin turn your music down and Blue turn yours up

Hexx: Kin turn your music down and Blue turn yours up.

Kin: You guys are so mean to me. It's not fair.

Hexx: No, it isn't. How about this, you do the intros from now on.

Kin: Really!?

Blue: Unless one of the readers complains.

Hexx: Yeah.

Kin: All Right! Hexx Does Not Own Naruto.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………**..**

Tenten lay in her bed. The night time noises soft and barely audible. She needed sleep. Two more days till she would fight Neji. Two more days till she would be attempting to knock him on his back and sit on him.

She closed her eyes and sighed. If she could do that once, even if just for a few moments, she would be happy. But despite all her efforts, it was always her on the ground and him holding her still.

She yawned and flopped on her stomach and then onto her back again. This wasn't helping, she reminded herself. She didn't know what else to do. She was wide awake. 'I wonder if Neji is up.' She thought. Sitting up she shoved the blankets off of her.

It wouldn't hurt to check.

Swinging her legs off the bed her bare feet touched the wood floor. She shivered and stood, her yellow nightgown rustling just above her scrapped knees. She opened her door and slid out silently. She made sure no guards where about, as she opened his door.

After the door was closed tight, she turned and frowned. He wasn't in bed. He wasn't even in his room. Where could he be? She wondered, walking further into the room. No sign of him anywhere. This wasn't right. She knew he had been in here when she had gone to bed.

"Tenten?" His voice was so close and so quizzical that Tenten screamed. It only came out as a muffled shriek, since his hand clamped over it when she took in her long breath.

She let out a shocked sigh when he let go. She stepped forward, and then turned around to face him. He was looking at her with those unreadable eyes of his. Huffing she tossed her head.

"Why aren't you in bed?" She demanded. He blinked.

"Why aren't you?"

"Can't sleep." Tenten's eyes widened and then narrowed as she stared at his wall. Why did she just blurt that out like it was nothing? She used to keep everything to herself, and then to Mei. Not that you can keep anything from someone living in your head.

"So your just checking up?" He asked. She nodded and stifled a yawn.

"I'm not used to going to bed so early. Usually I fight you and then sleep, my schedule has been off for days." She didn't mention that she normally would have worked on the dress, since it was finished.

"Well that's a shame. Considering you will be dancing tomorrow." He said. She nodded and then snapped her head around to face him.

"What?"

"You remember don't you? I do believe you where speaking with Ino and Sakura about it that day you and Leo had that spat during the soccer game." Neji said. Tenten paled, it had been a month. She had hopped she had missed the ball.

"D-didn't that already happen?" She chocked out. Neji shook his head. "How come?"

"Because Chi chose to remain in the castle until things where absolved." Neji said, his voice and expression amused.

"What things?" She said. Her hands planted on her hips and her eyes darting like a trapped creature.

"You, and don't make me explain" He said quickly when she opened her mouth to protest. "Because you know exactly what I mean." Neji smirked as she flushed a rosy color. No denying it, she was cute when she did that.

Neji mentally slapped the shit out of his brain. He shouldn't think those things about her.

"I'm not wearing a dress." She told him, pouting slightly. He shook his head

"Don't tell me, tell the people who will be stalking you in the morning. Tenten got a pained look on her face at the thought.

"Can I hide out in here then? Till they go away?" Neji chuckled.

"Come now is it really that bad?" He asked her, and she nodded quickly, her ponytail flicking about like an actual Pony's tail.

She yawned again, stifling it with the back of her hand. Neji raised an eyebrow at her. She looked exhausted. Walking over, he took hold of her elbow. The warmth of her skin made his skin hum with static.

She obligingly leaned into him when he pulled her closer. She yawned again, this time into his shirt as he led her back to her room. When he bent his knees to pick her up, he was met with no resistance. She was already asleep.

He wanted to laugh, but that might wake her so he gently placed her into her bed and drew the covers up to her shoulders. She sighed pleasantly and rolled onto her side, snuggling into the sheets.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………**..**

The chase was on.

Tenten darted into the library, her breath askew. This wasn't right, they didn't have any training, so why where they gaining on her?

Tenten scaled a bookcase in the corner and pressed her back to the wall. Even if they found her, they wouldn't catch her.

Or so she thought.

Sakura and Ino, although not the brightest bulbs, where smart when it came to strategy.

Or in this case, manipulation.

Once they found her, upon not being able to reach her they called for backup.

Aka Lee and Naruto.

And Kiba, but he didn't help catch her; he just tracked her for the other two.

"This is abuse I'm sure of it." Tenten stated from their hold. Lee was holding her around the waist, tossed over his shoulder sack of flour. Naruto was nursing his wrist.

"Oh, _we_ abused _you_?" Naruto said, annoyed and whiny. "You broke my wrist!"

"Oh can it!" She snapped. "It isn't broken, it isn't even sprained! It's just sore." She crossed her arms over her chest and pouted. Letting her neck relax she faced forwards, or down, considering she was facing the floor.

"Tenten-Chan! That's not very kind to say!" Lee scolded. Tenten only kicked his chest.

As they passed Neji, Sauske, Choji and Shikamaru, the four boys stared at the three boys and the captive passing them. Lee waved Tenten and Naruto where to busy arguing to notice and Kiba chuckled.

"Neji….." Sauske began, but Neji cut him off before the raven haired boy could make a retort.

"Ino is gonna be bald if Tenten gets hold of her" Shikamaru stated, running a hand over his head.

The others nodded in agreement.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………**..**

"What's wrong with her!?" Sakura said, alarmed. Tenten was lying on the ground, not breathing and not moving.

"Call a medic! Quick!" Ino was saying, "Wait, Sakura aren't you training to be a medic!?"

"Yes but I can't help if I don't know what's wrong!" Sakura wailed, she dropped to her knees and started shaking Tenten's shoulders. "Wake up! Tenten? Can you hear me? WAKE UP!"

The door opened and Neji came in, tailed by Hinata, who had gone to find him. Naturally the others showed up a moment later, sticking their heads into the princess's room without entering.

Neji didn't say anything as he knelt down and picked Tenten up. He held her bridal style, on arm under her knees and the other behind her back near her shoulders. Then he turned, and walked out.

"Better not follow," Hinata said, shaken. She leaned against her wall, clutching her chest. Sakura was in shock on her knees and Ino was crying into Shikamaru, who just stood there looking up.

Neji walked down the hall, heading to the ANBU tower. About halfway there he heard her chough. Stopping he looked down.

She was blinking and shaking. She was breathing as if she couldn't get air into her body fast enough. She had been under a long, long time.

Almost 15 minutes.

Her hand closed around a handful of his shirt cloth. He just stood there as she regained her bearings.

"Oi….what happened?" She asked. Neji looked down at her.

"You had a fainting spell…." He said. She nodded and looked down.

What she had seen upset her enough to cry, but she wasn't going too.

So instead she covered her face and let out a shuddering sigh.

Her memory was large and sharp, and it upset her for a number of reasons.

First, because it told her that she had lived in a palace, making her a very highly ranked royal.

Second, that her whole life had been full of horrid, full skirted dresses.

And third, that it had given her a bit more of her past. Why couldn't the memories stay locked up in her head where they wouldn't interfere with her life? It didn't make sense.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………**..**

Hexx: Finished, hope you all enjoyed it.

Blue: Bet you all forgot Chi was going to have a ball didn't you? Didn't you?

Kin: Blue, they aren't that forgetful.

Blue: _You_ forgot Kin.

Kin: -.-


	30. The Ball dun dun DUN!

Tenten looked at herself in the mirror

Kin: Okay and welcome too-

Hexx: Um, Kin..

Kin: Yes?

Hexx: Well….according to the comments…

Blue: You suck and you're fired.

Kin: (blinks) We do not own Naruto and YOU ALL HATE ME DON'T YOU!?

Hexx: No!

Blue: Uhh, Yeah.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………**.**

Tenten looked at herself in the mirror. Sakura, Ino and Hinata where also reflected behind her, as they did each others hair. Tenten had refused anything other then her twin buns, but the dress was transformation enough.

It was plain, compared to the ball gowns of the other girls. But still, on her, it was beautiful.

It was a pale blue color, bordered with a darker blue. It revealed her collar bone, resting lightly on her lower shoulders. The sleeves covered her whole arm, and around her neck was a dark blue ribbon, worn like a chocker.

Simple, yet Ino insisted Tenten looked gorgeous.

"Who knows maybe a Duke or a Lord might fall in love with you and ask to marry you!" Sakura said from the stool, Tenten's horrified face made all three girls laugh.

The very thought…..Tenten shuddered.

A soft knock came from the door and Hanabi ran in. Her yellow ball gown bright as she spun into the room, followed by her mother. Chi looked radenint in her evergreen gown, as she touched Hinata's cheek.

Hinata smiled, her dress matching her eyes. Ino wore a deep plum color, which made her figure look dainty. Sakura in a pale red, bordering on pink.

How lovely they looked.

If only there was a way to capture this instant, this very second Tenten thought.

Chi turned to face Alice and Rebecca, who where standing beside Tenten.

"Oh my, you three look gorgeous. If I didn't know any better I would swear you where royalty!" Tenten bit her lip. Oh if they only knew.

"Thank-you Mi'lady." Alice said, curtsying. Rebecca followed suit but Tenten bowed her own bow. (See the circus chapter for description)

The crown on Chi's head sparkled in the light. She looked every inch a queen. Standing tall, she took Hinata and Hanabi's hands. "Shall we?" And then led the procession out of the room.

The ballroom was transformed. It no longer looked like a large, unused stuffy room. It was bright and bustling and the music was sweet and the laughter pleasant. Tenten never felt so warm in her life.

The colors of dresses ranged from all over the spectrum. The sound of shoes on stone was a happy rhythm as a group of people danced. Tenten spotted Kiba and Ino, dancing beside Lee and Hinata. They where laughing, but trying to hide it.

Tenten had to admit, she felt a little trapped among the sea of people. There weren't this many nobles in the kingdom, and she was thrilled to see locals from the town dancing as well.

"Haven't seen you in a while," A familiar muffled voice said from behind her. Tenten turned and her face lit up a thousand times.

"Sensei!" She smiled. He closed his open eye and appeared to smile back. A thing, black cloth mask covered his mouth and Tenten saw how the other eye, the one that was usually hidden, was closed tight, with a scare dragging down it.

"Hello Tenten how is everything?" He dropped his voice a fraction and whispered "I got your letter, glad your okay."

"Everything is wonderful Sensei." She didn't notice the looks she was getting from her friends. She also didn't hear the talk around her.

"Who is she? I haven't seen her before."

"Yes we have, you know, she usually wears those pants."

"Oh her! My she looks pretty, how old is she?"

"I believe 17, maybe 18"

Of course, not all conversation was centered around her. Just the conversation near her.

Kakashi heard it, but said nothing. No need to disturb her good mood.

"Have you danced yet?" She made a face at his question.

"No, not yet." Not ever, she said to herself.

"Well, we should fix that." Kakashi said. Tenten looked at him alarmed but he commenced in executing his plan.

His plan was snagging Sauske by the back of his jacket neck and standing him in front of Tenten.

Awkward moment of silence.

"Sensei you can't be serious!" Tenten said, and Sauske raised an eyebrow.

"And why not?"

"Because your, you!" She said, and Sasuke's other eyebrow went up.

Well he wasn't going to take that, not from her.

"Well, I guess you will have to be disappointed." He told her, extending his hand. Her face paled and Kakashi made his escape. Tenten should have slapped his hand away and told him to bugger off.

But they where in public. He was a noble, she was an Attendant, and people where watching. So she placed her hand in his, and made a face when his hand closed around it as he led her to the dance floor.

His other hand rested on the bottom of her shoulder blade as she placed her free hand on his shoulder. After standing like this a moment, they began.

Tenten had to admit, Sauske was a wonderful dancer. Not that she really knew…..but she _felt_ like she knew. The point being that it wasn't a completely miserable event in her life. When they had finished he bowed, she 'curtsied' and they walked away from one another.

Now to find the silver haired man and skewer him with a fork.

'Wow,' Tenten thought. 'I'm violent today.'

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………**..**

Neji eyed the silver haired man who was speaking with Tenten. She clearly knew him well. Despite his hair color, he appeared young. It baffled Neji why he had suddenly thrust Sasuke in font of his attendant before hightailing it over to Iruka.

Then Tenten had accepted Sasuke's invitation to dance and Neji almost punched the wall.

Was the world about to end or something? What was going on?

They didn't appear to be enjoying one another's company, this was…..strange. It confused Neji, and Neji doesn't like being confused.

And the fact that there was a twisting and tighten knot in his stomach didn't help one bit.

"Neji," He slid his gaze to the side and looked at his aunt. She was frowning slightly at him.

"Hai?"

She placed her hand on his head and bent down a little to look at him. Her eyes amused and her smile quirked. Neji looked warily at her……what was she planning now?

"You, little prince," She smiled despite Neji's frown. He hated being called that. "Need to dance."

"I will." He protested. But his aunt persisted and followed him, all the while speaking with other members of the assembled.

"Shouldn't you be with Uncle?" He asked after she had followed him for several minutes. Before she could retort, a small disturbance made them change their focus.

It appeared Tenten was attempting to dislodge Hanabi from in-between two chairs, where the rowdy and energetic princess had gotten stuck. Her red haired companion watched near by, silent despite the funny predicament.

"How in gods name did you do this?" Tenten asked through gritted teeth. She knelt down and began to tug and shift the fabric between her hands. Hanabi squeaked in protest as Tenten continued to scold.

"I mean damn, this isn't even natural…..what did the chairs try to eat you or something?"

"Yes!"

"Chairs don't eat people Hanabi…"

"Yes they do!"

"No they don't they are vegans…and humans are meat, that and small children taste like fish and furniture does not like fish." Tenten continued to ramble as she freed the small princesses foot.

Around them people began to mumble. About the situation, how and who was handling it, the language, the lack of honorifics.

And of course her whole ramble about people and fish was being mused over by some of the more intellectual of the group.

"Ahhh screw it…" Tenten said in a frustrated tone. She stood up and looked around. "Don't move," Hanabi opened her mouth and Tenten pointed a finger at her without looking, "And no sass either."

More murmurs went up about that but people moved out of the way none the less when Tenten asked them too.

Hiashi and Chi now stood by their daughter, asking questions.

Apparently Hanabi and her friend, the girl with red hair, had been trying to sit on the chair. They hadn't realized that the chair was actually two chairs stacked onto one another and in a tumble of a matter of seconds she had gotten stuck.

"Why did you get Tenten to help you?" Neji asked, he was somewhat amused, but it didn't show.

"Because she saw what happened" Hanabi explained, "she was standing right there" Hanabi pointed a few feet away.

Then she was back, her hip cocked to the left with her left hand resting on it. In-between her fingers on the right hand where two knives and a fork.

"What are you going to do with those!?" Hiashi demanded. Tenten blinked and looked at them.

"I was gonna get Hanabi out, if that's okay with you sir." More mumbling and Neji wanted to smack the back of her head. Did she forget where she was or something?

"Oh." Everybody looked at the king. "Alright then, carry on." He linked arms with his wife and……walked away…….

Commence mass anime fall.

Neji felt a sweatdrop appear on the back of his head as Tenten walked a tight circle around Hanabi.

Then she started to walk away.

"Hey, Tenten what abou-" Hanabi began.

Abruptly Tenten spun and launched the utensils in rapid succession at the princess.

Someone yelled and a young noble from somewhere tackled Tenten, only to receive a kick in the ribs as she escaped.

Hanabi then stood up, shook some loose bits of wood off, and darted off with her friend. Rebecca chasing after them. Neji was in shock.

Tenten stood next to him, and then in front of him, waving her hand in front of his face. Then as he began to refocus she shrugged and walked away.

With the excitement finished people where going about their business.

Well the people who lived in the surrounding area did. A few of the more foreign nobles where still shaken. The noble Tenten had kicked, who happened to be a Duke by the name of **Osore, came over to Neji as she walked away.**

**"And what family is she from?" He asked, rubbing his chest, "A family of all knights I assume." Neji eyed the Duke, realizing he was supposed to respond.**

**"No," He shook his head, folding his arms over his chest. "She isn't a noble at all."**

**This my friends is true. Just like the Hyuuga's were not nobles.**

**They are royals. **

**(chough chough) Ah yes, let us see if we can understand the thoughts running about Neji's head now.**

**As Neji ambled around the room speaking with people and smiling obligingly at the girls who waved and flirted, one thought ran about his brain, 'Tenten is going to kick my ass.'**

**Odd thoughts.**

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………**..**

**Hexx: IM SORRY IT'S LATE!**

**Blue: We are currently in the middle of a bunch of changes.**

**Kin: Don't eat us.**


	31. Eventful Night and Suspicous Neji

Hexx: I am SO SORRY! I went on a FanFic Hiatus because of school and rl stuff and COMPLETELY FORGOT to tell you all! T-T I feel so bad for that. So here you go!

Unices: Hexxgirl does not own Naruto.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Neji's thoughts surrounded the battle he was mentally preparing for the next day. Her unassuming grace was well played, and you would never know what she was capable of if you had never fought her before.

"Neji-san!" Lee's voice sounded suddenly beside Neji and the Hyuugan prince had to use all of his muscle tone to avoid jumping in surprise. He turned to his friend with a questioning and annoyed look.

"Yes Lee?"

As Lee rambled on about his idol ANBU member Gai speaking with the silver haired man who had spoken to Tenten who Neji had been glaring at Neji vaguely listened and turned his attention towards locating his other friends.

Not that he didn't want to talk to Lee…. but whenever Gai's name came out of his mouth Neji's mind shut off.

He spotted Kiba and Shino speaking to Hinata and a girl with blue hair in a white dress who seemed to be bothering Shino. Sauske and Naruto where arguing over who Sakura had apparently flicked off….

Whoa wait…what!?

Sakura and Ino where laughing, holding half full glasses of strange liquid doubled over laughing in the corner. No doubt Tenten had something, possibly everything to do with that.

Anywho, as Neji scanned the room Shikamaru came over to speak with the young prince. Lee stopped speaking; assuming Neji had heard everything he had said about Tenten's teacher and Gai's oldest friend.

"Neji-sama" Shikamaru said, addressing his friend with the expected honorifics used in public. Neji nodded back.

"Shikamaru-san" Neji responded. "Is your father well?"

"Very" Shika responded. "He just returned from a trip to the Kingdom of Rose."

"Oh?" Neji said, curious but refusing to show it in this setting where so many people where watching.

"Yes, he found it a bit difficult, since not a lot of the peasants spoke Japanese" His friend told him, "Mostly Chinese, and you know how bad my father is at that" 

Neji nodded, glancing over to see Lee coaxing Tenten over to where they were standing. She shook her head at him and smiled, waving lightly as she went over to remove the drinks from Sakura and Ino's grasp. He smirked lightly at her and she shrugged at him.

"Neji, Tenten speaks Chinese and Japanese" Shikamaru said, drawing the Princes attention back to him. "She doesn't even realize it"

Neji stopped to think about this, and it was true. Sometimes when she was working, she would sing softly in Chinese…. And when that woman from Rose had come to drop off her papers, Tenten had easily switched from speaking to her in Chinese to Neji and Lee in Japanese.

"We can't pry" Neji reminded his friend, who nodded.

"Just an observation." Shikamaru said before Ino dragged him off, claming that if he did not dance with her at least one dances both of their parents would be cross and grumpy the next day.

Neji walked away, through the ballroom. He made small talk with people and danced with some of the young girls who where introduced with him. All the while he kept checking the corner of his eye for her. She was there, like she was supposed to be. Just out of reach, but always in sight.

Around the time when everyone was preparing to sit down to the banquet that Neji noticed she was missing.

He wasn't able to look for her however; he had to sit in his spot beside his Uncle across from his Cousins. The other Attendants where sitting nearby, at their own table and he wondered if she had retreated to her room.

Then he saw her and nearly stood up.

She walked into the room, tray of goblets in hand and the candlelight gave her the most haunting appearance. An apron tied around her dress and her eyes bright. Other servants carrying food followed her and she began to place the glasses of reddish liquid infront of people. When she got near where the royal family sat she bit her bottom lip in the slightest way that almost no one noticed it.

"What are you doing?" Neji asked her, his mouth barely moving as she leaned forward to place the cups.

"You weren't giving me anything to do" She said, straightening up while moving to his other side to finish her sentence "And they where short one person" After she finished she vanished again and Neji had to pretend not to hear the talk that went on by the older community.

"She is a lovely girl"

"Yes but she works far to hard."

"I just hope she is taking care of herself, not like that Attendant the Uchiha's had for their son, what was his name?" 

"Itachi"

"That's right, and that girl, Ana, poor thing, must have felt so used."

"I heard she went with him!"

"To the Academy? She couldn't have, Attendant's aren't allowed, only bodyguards"

That reminded Neji and he sighed. In two years he would be 18, and tradition stated that the next heads of families where to go to a special Academy where they would learn all of the things of the diplomatic sort. He never wanted to go for the simple fact that he never wanted to rule.

He also didn't want to leave Tenten to do god knows what in this castle, or where ever she chose to go.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

The dancing and socializing had resumed and Tenten was again standing by the wall, talking to Hinata and Sakura. Ino was chatting with Kiba, who was sulking because Akamaru had been forced outside after scaring an older woman.

Neji grit his teeth. He needed to talk to her, and privately. There was but one-way to achieve this at a ball.

"Lee" He said, his friend looked over at him "Where you not going to ask Sakura to dance?" Lee looked at his friend, surprised. He nodded and darted over. Neji followed to give him…. emotional support.

"Sakura-chan!" The pink haired girl looked up

"Ah, Lee-kun," She blinked puzzled at him.

"Would you do me the honor of the next dance?" He asked. And Sakura blinked and blushed blue. She did, then exactly what Neji had predicted.

"Uh, I would Lee but…" Sakura floundered and looked around "I promised I wouldn't dance again until Tenten had!" She said triumphantly. Tenten glared lightly at the younger girl and Neji made an exasperated sigh.

He held out his hand, Tenten grumbled loudly about Lee's pride and placed her hand in it.

Hinata, Sakura, Lee and the other usual members of their group saw it first and they all went slack jawed.

He led her out to the edge of the dance floor and she grimaced at him. "I'm only dancing with you because Lee really wants to dance with Sakura," She told him. He smirked and placed his hand on her upper back, pulling her a little bit closer.

"And I'm only asking you to dance because private chats are so hard to come by"

She gaped at him a bit but before she could as him why he said that the music started up and he began to lead. She snapped her mouth closed and let him push her around the dance floor for a few moments.

"What did you want to talk to me about?" She asked him. Neji led her through a turn before speaking.

"Do you realize how much talk your generating?" He asked her. Tenten tilted him and opened her mouth to speak but he didn't let her. "You're too liberal with your words, and your actions are far to out of place." He dipped her back, and she fluidly arched back and then snapped up when he pulled gently.

"Since when" She began, twirling under his arm "Have I ever cared about talk?" She finished as he brought her to stand close to him again. He smirked at her and she rolled his eyes.

"Try not to cause to much, " He told her

"Or what?" She demanded, her dark eyes narrowing at him lightly.

"Or you will attract some not so nice people" He dipped her again and nodded. She looked upside-down at the group of teens their age he had stopped before. He pulled her back up and she stuck her tongue out at him.

"Things like that" He told her as she retracted the organ. Rolling her eyes childishly she smiled at him.

"Come on Neji, none of them has said anything!" He shook his head, his long hair brushing lightly at her hand on his shoulder.

"I have heard some of them, and another topic that has reached my ears" He said twirling her around. Halfway through this spin he one of her hands in each of his, and he crossed his arms around her waist pulling her back to his chest. "Is who he is to you" He said into her hair, right by her ear.

The 'he' in question was her sensei, Kakashi. Tenten blinked and tilted her head away, so his mouth was now hovering above her neck. He twisted and spun her out of that position and back into the normal one as she gave her response.

"Who is he too you?" She demanded, curious if the Prince knew his own Godfather. Neji glared at her and she couldn't help but smile at him sheepishly.

"This is the first time I have laid eyes on that man" He said in a dangerous tone. He was not playing with her "And the first time, was when you," He stopped and looked her up and down momentarily, before proceeding "Hugged him" Tenten's face flushed red with anger, not that Neji knew that, at his accusations.

"I help him on Sundays!" She hissed back "That's all" He didn't look satisfied with her and grit his teeth at her.

The Hyuugan Prince apparently forgot completely where he was. He gripped one of Tenten's wrists and turned, walking off, dragging Tenten along behind him. She stumbled a bit over her dress and lifted it just a bit so she wasn't stepping on it. Her black boots visible to those watching.

Any other time, this would be an issue. Everything about it, but it wasn't. Why? Everyone, even the king and queen, where drunk. Giggling and dancing everywhere the only sober people seemed to be the ANBU and the musicians, who where a little tipsy themselves.

The only person who saw them leave was Ino. And the only thing she said was "Oh"

Neji dragged Tenten into the hall and started walking. At first Tenten let him and then she began to pull away. He gripped harder and she winced "Neji!" She hissed.

He slammed Tenten's back against the wall and rested one hand by her head. His other hand on the wall down by her hip, and he used his height as an advantage over her when she took a step forward. She had to retreat back against the wall, since there was no way out and she didn't want to be that close to him when he was mad.

This wasn't exactly like him, but it wasn't far off from his personality. She tilted her head up to look into his white eyes as they stared down at her, appraising her with a slightly different intent then she was used to from him. She shifted and started to speak but again he beat her too it.

"Who is he?" He asked her again. His voice was low on purpose, forcing her to lean in a bit to hear him. He took the hand by her hip and tucked it under her chin, tilting her head up.

"Nobody" Tenten said. He shook his head and sighed

"You're not leaving me tonight unless you tell me the truth." He told her. She jerked her head from his hand and tried to leave but true to what he had said, he stopped her, his hand gripping her wrist sharply.

"Neji!" She said, pulling again.

A firm hand came down on Neji's shoulder and pulled the Princes hand from his attendant's wrist. Looking up both looked shocked.

"Miss me?" Sento asked. He smiled a wicked smile, rope in hand and a bag draped over his shoulder. Tenten stared at the man and took a step away as Neji took one forward, but Sento held his hand up in his defense "I'm not here for her, don't worry" He smoked at Neji.

"Just thought I would let you know, young Prince, since your uncle isn't sober at the moment" Neji glanced into the dining hall and then back at Sento "The Queen of the Kingdom of Rose will be here in a week and she wishes audience with her" He nodded at Tenten, who shuddered away.

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Hexx: TADA!

Blue: Happy now?

Kin: BLUE!

Hexx: omg guess what! *Smiles *

Kin: ?

Hexx: We are going on ANOTHER semi-hiatus omg don't hit me! * ducks *

Blue: -_- *

Hexx: It's not MY fault school sucks.


	32. It's only a contact high

Hexx: Here yall go! ^ ^

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The rest of the night was a blur. After Sento had left them Tenten had fled into the hall and Neji was unsuccessful in finding her among the people. It was typical for these balls to get overly drunk, and Neji was just amazed at how sober he was. People laughed and talked loudly about everything and somewhere in the course of the night he feel asleep.

He awoke to Tenten's voice across the room. Sitting up he saw her dressed for a normal day hopping over passed out people headed towards him.

"Don't touch me, don't touch me, ew off!" She kicked a guy's hand from her boot and hopped the last few feet, practically landing on the prince. His hands went up to catch her, touching her waist. She pulled away and stood up. Hands on her hips she stood over him, one foot on each side of him.

"What?" He asked her irritably. She swatted at his head, a dazed look in her eye that confused him. When she bent over again to swat he pulled her down and rolled, sitting on her. She made a pained yelping noise and he smelled something on her breath.

"Have you been smoking?" He asked her, she shook her head, giggling.

"No, but I have" Neji looked behind him to see Shikamaru walking over, rubbing his head "She has a contact high" Tenten giggled again and swatted at Neji's forehead.

He felt her fingers brush the fabric on his forehead and he gripped her wrist. She gasped and pulled it, and he let her go. She glared at him and then he picked her up, tossing her over his shoulder.

"No!" She shrieked, kicking his chest "Put me down!"

"Your high" He snapped

"No shit! You're holding me in the air!" He sighed as Shikamaru had nodded off against the wall. That was the only negative thing about the young Nara, along with his lazy outlook on life. He carried her, kicking and cursing down towards her room. He got too her door…. and it wouldn't open.

She giggled

"What did you do? Lock it?"

"And sealed it" She giggled again. He started to ask her how she knew how to seal things but decided against it. She spent enough time in the library to explain it. He couldn't teleport into her room if it was sealed…so he took her to his.

"Oof" She mumbled as he tossed her on the bed. She went to get off but he shoved her back down "Neji!" She said, glaring and her fists clenched on his blankets.

"Your high and you need to sleep it off" He told her stonily, arms crossed. Tenten sat still for a moment and shifted like she was going to lie down. Neji turned to go towards his desk when she bolted. She ran past him towards the door and he spun as she did.

She slid out of his grasp when she ran past and started to open the door.

Neji's hand came down on hers and his other hand shoved the door closed. She stumbled forward, and laid pinned stomach first on Neji's door. His hand by her head was in her line of vision and it was a hard fist. His breath on her ear made her squirm against him.

"Neji let go!" She wriggled. He took her hand from the doorknob, turned her around and pined it by her head. Now she could see his face and it was contorted with rage and sadness.

"Why?" He demanded, "Why will you never, _never_ let me help you?" Tenten turned her head away and he slammed his fist on the door making her look back "Answer me Tenten!" He almost screamed at her.

She felt dazed and winded and as Neji glared into her eyes he saw the hazy glaze over them and he closed his eyes. Taking a breath he stepped back but didn't move his hands.

"Your high" He said again for what felt like the 15th time. She stared at him, eyes wide and her breathing off just a little. He wrapped one arm around her middle and drew her forward, picking her up. This time it was bridal style and she didn't struggle and scream.

But when he put her on the bed again she tried to leave. Neji just put her back and this time under the covers. When she tried to leave again he grabbed her wrists from behind, wrapped her own arms around her so they made and X right over her chest and he pinned her down on her stomach.

She struggled and kicked but he just lay on top of the blankets, he head on her shoulder and he held her there until she fell asleep. Once he felt her breathing regulate he smirked and sat up.

"See? I do know what I'm talking about" He told her as he watched her nuzzle deeper into his blankets and pillows. He stood up and sat at his desk, starting on some schoolwork he had yet to finish.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Tenten yawned and sat up, blinking through her bangs. Her head hurt but the fuzziness of her vision had cleared. She felt sore for some reason as she flipped her bangs to the side. She blinked and looked around.

"Neji!" She called, a whine in her voice. He looked up at her from his work. "What time is it?" She asked him.

He stared at her a moment and then looked back down at his papers. "3o'clock." He told her. He was surprised she wasn't screaming at him for what he had done to her earlier, the yelling and pinning. She seemed level headed now as she ambled over to his desk.

She leaned on his desk by her elbows, bent at the waist so she was eye level with him. Her chin cupped in her hands as she watched him write.

"It doesn't bother me," She said aloud

"Yes it dose" He retorted, not missing a beat in his work.

"Why would it?" Tenten shot back "The woman sent me here…. probably to ensure peace between her nation and yours and now she wants to see how its going!" She rolled her eyes and shifted her body, now leaning her back on the desk and facing the bed.

In truth Tenten knew she was lying. She wanted to know. She wanted to know why that woman would have sent a noble child off to be a slave after her parents had died. She wanted know why she had been unable to recall anything for months and weeks. She wanted to know more importantly, who had put that thing in her head.

The 'Thing' aforementioned gave an agitated huff and slunk farther into Tenten's subconscious.

"Hn" Neji grunted his reply. Tenten laughed and stretched.

"I'm going to my room now!" She said. He didn't make a sound or a movement to follow her as she walked out of the bedchambers and into the sitting area. She glanced over her shoulder once and began to make the hand signs that would place her in her sealed room.

"Tenten I-" She froze as he stopped short, she whirled around and saw him standing at the door…..right before a poof of smoke exploded from her spot, taking her from there to the other side of his wall.

Neji took a few steps back, eyes wide and face a hard-set grimace.

There was no way she learned _that_ from a book.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Tenten slumped against the wall and slid down it. Her hands covered her face as she swore aloud at herself. She should have waited another second! She should have gone into the hall! She swore again and lashed out with her foot, kicking the nightstand and toppling it over. Sighing she picked it up again and fell face first onto the couch with another groan.

She heard him rattling and banging at her door but he never yelled at her. Probably too furious. She curled up into a ball as his door slammed.

She had been so careful to keep her training hidden. She trained all day Sunday, she practiced in secret and she never performed the more dangerous and exposing acts in front of anyone.

And now he knew.

Well he didn't know exactly but he knew something was up.

Something fell over in her bathroom and Tenten shot into a sitting position. No more noise. She stood up and shuffled up to the closed door. She was reaching her hand to the handle

Tenten had never been as surprised and shocked as when Neji had rocketed out of her bathroom. Now pinned on her back to the couch she stared up at him with the frightened eyes she didn't know she had.

His own eyes looked frightening. Wide-eyed with veins running from them, down the side of his face. The skin of his face pulled into a tight grimace and he seethed, glaring down at her.

"You have" He hissed at her "Chakra running through your system. She winced at his words "You should have no Chakra."

Tenten didn't say anything she was too busy staring at her wards face. He blinked quizzically at her a moment and then it seemed to dawn on him the source of her fright. He closed his eyes and turned his head away from her.

Her wrists where pinned beside her head and she wiggled her fingers lightly when he removed some of the pressure from them. He did not; however let her go in anyway,

Finally he looked back at her and opened his eyes. Tenten saw the normal eyes she had grown accustom too boring down into her own. Before she could speak however he snapped into a glare that silenced her.

"You have been lying to me," He told her. She chomped down on her lip. Oh if only he knew. "Where have you learned that?" He demanded. "And you listen to me Tenten, nobody is going to interrupt us this time, nobody is going to come looking for us and you are not moving from this spot until I am satisfied." He told her. He paused and then added "With your answers."

She paused a moment, staring at him. He didn't want to know about her past because as far as he knew she still didn't know. He wanted to know about something that might get her into even more trouble.

"I-" She began and he looked down at her, silent. "Do you remember," She asked, "That time you and Kiba found me, being strangled to death in an alley?"

"Yes" He responded coldly. "As I recall you asked me why I didn't let you die"

Tenten winced at that, and chose again to not tell him why. She pressed on with the story at hand. "Well, right before that, I had been in a little bookshop at the end of the alley, and the man there," She paused.

She didn't know if she should tell him that Kakashi was a former ANBU member, one who had worked with Neji's father. Or the fact that he was Neji's Godfather.

"He offered to teach me hand to hand combat" She finished.

He stared at her expectantly

"I don't know how he knew of those things." She lied "He just did, and he passed them on to me" She saw no reason why to drag Kakashi down with her.

"You shouldn't have lied to me" He told her and for a moment Tenten got worried until he said "If you were getting outside help that's all you had to say, if someone other then me had found that out, you would be-"

"Dead?" Tenten suggested.

"No, no do you really see my Uncle doing something so morbid?" Neji asked, looking down at her. "No, the only thing that would happen is you would be put through tests and questions. Those things he taught you are illegal to know unless you are a student at the academy or a graduate of it, and I may as well tell you all the graduates…..become ANBU."

Her eyes blinked idly. She knew that, but she didn't say that, she wasn't supposed to know that so she pretended to be surprised. "ANBU?" Neji nodded, sitting back and letting go.

Tenten sat up and pulled her knees up to her chin. They stared at one another, both knowing exactly how many rules had been broken, while only one knew how badly. Not a word, and then, a smirk.

"What?" Tenten demanded

"You better fight me seriously tonight if you know how to do that," Neji said, tapping her head. She made a face and swatted at him.

"I will," She promised proudly, and then she pouted…thinking "How did you get in here if the room was sealed?" She asked him. He blinked at her for a few minutes as if she was stupid. She raised an eyebrow and his smirk grew. "Neji!"

"You didn't seal your bathroom, and one of the walls is also my wall, and so" He made his hands into fists and then opened them quickly, with jazz fingers "Poof"

Eye roll, pillow toss, and squeal of surprises laughter when she is pushed off the couch,

And so the fact that Tenten had been keeping secrets for months was forgotten.

For now.

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Hexx: Do NOT hurt me! D

Blue: (yawns)

Hexx: It's not my fault real life sucks and steals my time and creativity!

Kin: We will try to update again soon. We swear

Blue: They swear, I don't

Kin: BLUE!


	33. You Were One Once

Hexx: 8D I LOVE YOU ALL! I really do and I'm sorry I haven't had the time to respond to all of your TOTALLY AWESOME comments! 3

Blue: tch, yeah yeah lots of love

Kin: D

Hexx: Anyway, Blue don't you have someone for us hmmmm?

Blue: Oh yeah, come on in

Sena: eh! H-Hello!

Hexx: (glomps) YEEEEEEEEE! =D

Kin: For those who do not recognize him,

Blue: Go read Eyeshield 21

Kin: NOW! D (cough) Excuse me

Sena: ehh…these um…crazy people don't own Naruto….

Hexx: I prefer the mentally challenged.

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"I really hate drunk people" Tenten whispered to Peter as she handed another woman's cape to a swooning Lady. Peter chuckled at her.

"Funny thing to say considering you used to be one"

"I was high not drunk, biiiig difference"

"If you say so," he said, chuckling. Tenten rolled her eyes at him, but still smiling. Most of the guests had pulled themselves together, well enough that they could go home. Neji had gone off to collect his own family, while the attendants and servants were left to the others.

"So how is Rebecca?" Tenten asked, gathering up a hat. She smiled a tiny smile when she saw Peter's ears turn red. He coughed a few times as she handed another Lady her things. "Well?" She asked again.

"Fine" He responded, "She is a bit sad that we have not found a priest willing to marry us though…" He trailed off, quiet. Tenten was quiet too. It was hard for either Rebecca or Peter to have the time to see each other, let alone a priest. Tenten handed another coat to its owner and mused for a moment. She could find someone, she's sure of it.

After the pair had finished with that, they separated to help with the cleaning else were. Tenten was sort of rushing her work; she wanted to get some training in before tonight. Now that Neji knew that she had tricks up her sleeve, she knew she would need every ounce of wits she could muster.

"Little one!" A soft voice called, and Tenten stopped, turning and bowing automatically. After all, only the Hyuugan nobles referred to her as such.

It was the Queen, and she was looking quite happy, as men left her room carrying trunks and hatboxes. Tenten remembered that the ball was a farewell party for her majesty. "May I assist you madam?" Tenten asked.

"No no, it's fine" Chi said, waving her hand back and forth while she chuckled. "I was just going to say goodbye, I have to leave very soon." She smiled again at the attendant and then said "When you see your ward, tell him I give him my best wishes" She waved again and left, following the men with her belongings.

Tenten started off again, Chi was quite free spirited, and it amazed Tenten that Neji's uncle had married such a woman. She knew the king was kind, but he was extremely level headed and strict. And also…. coming towards her down the hall. She halted and bowed again.

"Well now," Hiashi said, stopping beside her. "Now that all the excitement has died down what do you plan on stirring up?" His tone had a hint of amusement in it as she straightened back into a standing position.

"I don't beli-" Tenten stopped. She blinked a few moments and then looked up at him "Did uh, Neji talk to you yet today?"

"No, why?" Hiashi frowned. "Is something wrong?"

"No no!" Tenten said quickly, waving her hands back and forth in front of her body, giggling in a nervous fashion. "It's just that, Sento…my uh…previous 'master' came to the ball last night and told Neji to tell you that the Queen of the Rose is coming…here"

Hiashi raised an eyebrow, silent. "Have you made any new discoveries in your….." He stopped and gently tapped the side of his head. She shook hers in reply, closing her eyes as she did so that he couldn't tell she was lying. "Well then, I don't see any reason to worry about anything."

Tenten wondered what exactly he meant by that, but did not press it. "I have chores to attend to your highness, excuse me" She bowed again and then slid past him, quickly hurrying down the hall and around the corner. She leaned her back on the wall and slid down into a sitting position, letting out a large breath of air.

Mei curled and flexed inside her head, yawning loudly. "Now now girl, it won't be so bad"

"I can't breath," Tenten said, resting her forehead on her knees "I can't breath when I see something special." She cycled through the memories she had collected so far, along with the memory of the moments without air.

"Yes, but you have survived this long dealing with your spells, why would this be any different?" Mei asked in a bored tone, adjusting to allow her belly more space.

"Because" Tenten snapped, her tone harsh since she was growing irritated. "The more important the memory or the object I see that reminds me, the more painful and the longer those spells are" She exhaled and was silent for a few moments, and then "What if when I see her, I get a memory so large…I die" She bit her lip "What if I am in that spell for so long I die?"

Mei blinked her large purple eyes, and sighed, tapping her claws in a thoughtful way "I don't know…. but I will try to prevent that from happening." Her tail flicked at the large door that held the memories, a long crack was running through it, and a faint white glow could be seen. "You better get back to work now girl, before someone notices"

"Your right," Tenten mumbled, standing up and hurrying along the hall again towards her destination. She didn't notice the movements at the corner of were she had been sitting.

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Leo sucked in a breath as he moved around the corner, watching the receding back of the former slave girl. Who had she been talking too? And what was she talking about.

Memories? He frowned; she told him she couldn't remember anything. Was she lying? And what were these spells she had spoken of. He looked back up at her, as she got closer to a door.

Something was off, and it wasn't his imagination.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Kakashi leaned on the counter of his shop, his head resting in one hand as he turned the pages of his book. He smiled slightly under his scarf as he read something particularly…interesting to him.

His shop was empty, as it usually was. Nobody was on weekends normally, or weekdays for that matter. However, most of the tiny village surrounding the castle was moving very slowly, everyone tired from the events of the previous nights ball.

A sound at the door, the little bell above it jangled loudly at him. He didn't bother looking up, he couldn't see the door directly from the counter anyway, and a small shelf was in the way.

"Good afternoon" He called, turning the page of his book and finishing the sentence. He placed a finger on the last word he read before looking up. "What may I help you with?" He asked cheerfully, his eyes closed as he smiled at whoever it was.

"Answers" The voice said, it was clearly male

"That would be in information, right over the-" Kakashi stopped. He had opened his eyes and had been pointing at the direction, when he saw who it was.

"I think, you have all the information I need."

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Hexx: There now, I'ma go hide in the bomb shelter and get to work.

Blue: Read and enjoy

Kin: We really are trying to update as soon as we can! D8

Hexx: I have a job, assignments and lots of family stuff going on, so I am sorry about the slowness of my updates.


	34. Boom Baby

Hexx: You guys know I really do try to get these done as fast as possible for you guys right?

Kin: We're sorry last chapter was so short D:

Blue: . . ..

Hexx: Anyway, without further adu,

Tenten: They do not own Naruto!

* * *

Tenten stood in the middle of the courtyard, her arms crossed tight over her chest, her eyes darting back towards the door and around her. Strapped to her pants was her kunai set, and tucked into her pockets, her scrolls.

"Are you sure you know how to use them?" Mei asked her, lying carefully on her pregnant belly.

"Of course" Tenten replied, suppressing her antsy nerves by sitting down on the stone bench. This act did not stop her eyes from continuing to roam around the courtyard, looking sharply at everything that moved. Her quick eye motions alerted Mei almost instantaneously.

"If you know how to use them, why are you so nervous girl?" She asked in a drawl, rolling her large black head around on its neck in a stretch. Tenten made a 'tch' sound as she turned her head sharply.

"It's not that" She muttered. Mei drew her head up curiously.

"Oh? Then what"

"It's just" Tenten gave a grumpy sigh "Neji is late, and he never is. Something happened or he is someplace out in the courtyard stalking me already" She propped her elbows on her knees, her hands cupping her chin as she stared through her brown bangs at the side of the castle. Mei chuckled.

"Afraid he'll hear you talking to me?" She said, swishing her tail "Or, as it will seem, yourself?"

" . . . " Tenten opened her mouth, about to say something harsh when she heard the door open. Looking up she saw Neji strolling hurriedly towards her, adjusting his own weapons pouch as he did so. He looked irritated, and rather rushed. Standing Tenten walked towards him, stopping after a few steps. "Where were you?" She asked him.

"Nowhere" Neji said, jerking on the knot of his black fabric forehead cover. After he was satisfied it was secure, he looked at his attendant. "Ready?" He asked.

Tenten had been about to peruse his 'nowhere' comment but decided against it, sighing she nodded, smirking. "You won't have an easy time this time Neji" She said with a hint of amusement, her eyes glinting.

"Hn" Neji said, smirking his own brand of smirk. Tenten noted his 'hn' was more of a friendly tease then a superior one. Squaring her feet, she leaped back so that she was standing on the bench, and then back flipped into the bush, putting more distance between them.

He paused a moment, letting her get her distance before he darted into his own cover. Activating his bloodline limit he searched the grounds for her. She was there, up on the wall, patrolling, looking for him. He smirked. So she was a tactical fighter now?

Tenten herself was watching him, noting all his movements. Every muscular move he made, which were few. His eyes looked closed, and he hardly stirred. Reaching into her kunai holder, she removed three and a bit of ribbon, working quickly.

Holding one in her teeth, she threaded the ribbon through the holes on each end of the kunai, knotting them tight. Then, gripping the ribbon in hand, she moved, jumping off the wall and slipping through the wooded area.

Her face was flushed, and she didn't know why. She had felt it happen when she had been watching him. Every corded muscle flex as he prepared himself for her assault. Glaring furiously she shook it off and clambered into a tree, removing the kunai from her mouth.

With a whirl, she swung down from the tree, one hand on the branch above her head. In a swirl she took the kunai that had been in her mouth and hurled it at him, swinging back into the tree. The kunai flew straight at his head and for a moment she panicked. What if he didn't-

Neji's head all of a sudden jerked to the side and the weapon landed in the dirt, burying itself up to the hilt. She let out a relieved sigh and climbed higher in the tree.

Neji barely glanced at the weapon and moved towards the base of the tree. Leaping smoothly into it he paused and looked for her.

One kunai swung at him, and he jerked back, as it swung past. It then circled back around the tree, holding tight. It was then that Neji saw the ribbon. Before he could react she swung down, griping the other end of the ribbon like it was a rope. Pulling on it she changed direction in mid air and her feet slammed squarely into his chest, knocking him back out of the tree. She landed on the branch he hand been standing on in a crouch, the ribbon still wrapped round one of her wrists.

He plummeted and did something with his hands rapidly, vanishing into smoke before he hit the ground. Tenten jerked the kunai free of the tree, holding it at the ready and jumping into the smoke. She landed in a crouch and a few seconds later spun kicked outwards, connecting with his ankle as he had been about to bring his other heel down on her back. Jumping away, she hurled the kunai at him again.

It's a safe thing to say that they were serious about their fight this time. Before it had just been an extra practice for him and something for her to do, but now at this moment, there was an urgency to one-up the other. She had to win, she had to beat him, and he had to stop her. He needed to get closer to her to catch her, and she knew it. Apparently while he had been learning, she had too.

Pushing off the wall and flipping onto a branch he chased after her. She had a good five-foot minimum between herself and him, and it was growing. She was getting higher and higher and he prepared himself to deflect her weapons and catch her when she went to climb down.

But that was not her plan.

Tenten got to the top of the tree and paused, long enough for him to be close enough to touch her ankle. Then with a wicked smile and a mocking salute she jumped up and back, out of the tree spiraling down towards the ground. As she was flipping she flicked open the scroll Neji had found in her room before, and glided her thumb over it. His eyes caught site of the slash of red before a huge cloud of smoke erupted from her paper.

"Watch out for the rain of steel!" Her voice sang out as then billions of throwing needles sailed through the air where nothing had been towards Neji, who jerked back in surprise that he couldn't hide from his face. His Byakugan activated as fast as he could and he substituted himself to avoid her attack.

But now he had her tracked.

It didn't last much longer. Her attack had left her exhausted, and panicked. She hadn't seen him vanish and now feared he had not had enough time to get away. She broke from her stance and ran back towards where her attack had sailed, the trees, ground and even some flowers pierced with needles. "Neji!" She shrieked upon not finding him.

"Yes?" He asked plainly from his hiding spot, a smirk on his face as her own turned red.

"Jerk!" She shrieked, diving her hand towards her other scroll. His eyes narrowed. Hell no. He jumped out of his spot, across the small space and tackled her down. She shouted at him as he twisted the scroll away, flipped one handedly to his feet and sprinted away.

The battle ground to a halt and became a full-blown game of keep away. Once her stamina started wearing thin, Neji knew he had her.

Behind a tree he paused. She ran by, and he reached out, snagging her around her waist and pulling her back against him. She thrashed and scratched, kicking him sharply in the shins making him swear against the back of her head. Turning he pinned her belly to the tree trunk and took one wrist in each hand, wrapping them around the tree.

They paused, him pressing his chest against her back, his hands gripping her as they panted and relaxed. She let out a puff of air and started to giggle.

"What?" He asked and she just shook her head and giggled harder. "What!?" He asked again, turning her around. She smiled up at him, and then pounced.

Knocked flat on his back Neji made a grunt before she sat on his chest. He felt the light press of steel against his throat and he lifted an eyebrow. She was beaming, and the smile turned into a smirk. He returned it with one of his own, making her laugh again.

"You win"

"I know," She said, hopping off him and planting her hands on her hips. "Where is my scroll?"

"Where did you get it?" He asked, propping himself up on his elbows. She shrugged

"I made it."

"Did you have any help?" He saw a pause that would not have been notable to anyone else.

"No"

"Hm" He mumbled something and reached into his pocket, tossing the still tied parchment to her. Snagging it she shoved it happily into her own pocket. "Now go clean up" He nodded at the needles still buried into the area. She giggled again and strode off.

* * *

"No, no, no like this" Tenten leaned over and placed her hands over Hinabi's and moved them properly over the piano keys, pressing up and down to the right pace.

"Like…..this?" The smaller girl asked and prattled off a few more keys, missing fewer this time. Tenten nodded and the girl beamed.

"Teaching her a Wedding March?" Tenten looked up and smiled at Rebecca and Hinata who had come into the room as Tenten had asked them earlier. Tenten darted past them and closed the door, twisting the lock. "What, what are you doing?" Rebecca asked her softly.

Tenten leaned her back against the door and beamed at them. "I have something to show you." She ran to the closet and pulled the doors open, stepping back so they all could see. The white dress Tenten had been sewing in the dark bits of night that where not saved for fighting or sleeping hung on the hanger alone. Hinata let out a gasp as Alice came to stand beside Rebecca, whose mouth was covered by her hands and her eyes full of tears.

"That amazing" She laughed, smiling and whipping her eyes. She opened her arms and motioned to Tenten, who dove into the hug and squeezed her fellow attendant tightly. Hinata was rubbing Rebecca's back and Alice had lifted Hinabi up to hug onto Rebecca as well.

"Sunday" Tenten whispered, holding onto the other woman's hands. "Sunday the king has agreed to marry you together himself."

Rebecca and Alice stuttered in surprised, while Hinata gapped. Tenten nudged Hinabi back to the piano. "So back to work! You have to have this perfect!" She teased, sitting beside the princess at the instrument.

* * *

"Don't be such an asshat" Tenten snapped at Shikamaru as she followed behind the boys across the drawbridge towards the village. He shrugged.

"Lying about who was teaching you was stupid," He said "And that's the truth."

Tenten glared daggers at Neji's back up ahead, wishing she could smack him. He knew, he had known and he hadn't told her. Instead he informed Lee and Shikamaru, who were now accompanying them to meet with Kakashi.

"You are all hopeless," She said flatly.

"We could tell the others and then you would really have an issue, imagine the heart attack Naruto would have if he heard about this." Neji pointed out. She didn't respond and he stopped, turning around to look at her. "Tenten did you hear me?"

If she had she made no indication. She was standing rigid in the middle of the drawbridge. Before anybody could move she stumbled to the side and fell right off into the water.

"Shit!" Neji took a step forward, jumping back as an ANBU member sprung after her, after materializing out of nowhere. The three ran around to the grassy bank where the attendant was being hauled onto the land by the red head.

"She isn't breathing, move" The ANBU lightly placed his hand on Neji's chest and pushed him back gently, as he pressed on Tenten's stomach, making her gurgle and spit. Her eyes were open and silted.

Silted like a dragon.

"Shit, shit, shit" Shikamaru stared beside Lee as the ANBU mumbled to himself. "Neji keep pressing her stomach to get the water out, I'm going in."

"Going in where?" He snapped before the ANBU pressed his thumb against the girl's forehead. There was a whoosh of air and the red head became stiff as stone. "Hey, HEY!"

"He isn't there," Shikamaru said, stepping forward. "He is in her brain, these are like Ino's clans abilities." The three stared at the girl who was moving her mouth like she was babbling but no words were exciting her mouth.

"What's happening?" Lee squeaked.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………**..**

"What's happening!?" Leo shouted at the dragon inside the comatose girls head, who was screeching and writhing, shouting things in the ancient language. "Mei!"

"Their coming!" The dragon queen spat, slamming her claw down at him in rage. "My twins!"

"Why couldn't you have just laid eggs damn it!" He shouted back "You're not a damn mammal!" He dodged another swipe.

"Silence fool!" She spat "I am a Queen of dragons! I conform to however I want!" She slammed her tail against the inner walls of Tenten's mind, making the girl gasp loudly.

"_Tenten? Wake up idiot!" _Leo could hear Neji shouting at her from the thin walls of the girl's skull.

"Stay still!" Leo ordered. Mei roared at him.

"It hurts to much to be still! It's a pain I can not explain to you MAN!" She roared again, tossing her head back and stomping.

"Should have laid eggs," Leo muttered under his breath, jumping forward and onto her back. He was almost tossed and slashed, but he managed to mark the head of the dragon. "Sleep," he whispered as the dragon slowed "Sleep and I will deliver your children."

"Hurt them human, you will never get out of here." She hissed, sinking her head to the ground and letting out a snarl. Leo ignored her and wished to himself he had back up.

How in the HELL was he going to bring two dragons into the world?

And heaven forbid they imprinted on him like baby ducks.

* * *

Hexx: Don't look at me like that.


	35. Goings On

So I know you guys have been waiting for so long for this chapter, and I am so sorry for that. I hope it lives up to your expectations.

…

The process Leo was undergoing within the skull of Tenten was much more stressful then the world outside of it, however it was far less panicked and emotional.

Someone, - no one was sure, nobody was fessing up, - had alerted Hinata, and now the princess was knelt on the grass beside her cousin babbling at the prone figures, trying to coax the girl back into consciousness.

"What's happening!" She practically screamed at Shikamaru, the only one whose emotions hadn't been spiked to an unnatural level in some way by the events.

"I don't know, but that ANBU is trying to figure it out…" He managed to pry both the princess and the prince away, using the other people who gathered to his advantage in leading them away. "But we need to let him do his job." This was stated to Hinata, but Shikamaru's tone and gaze was pointed harshly at Neji. The Nara boy was surprised at how this was affecting his friend.

But he didn't understand, he couldn't. This was all too unfair for Neji. He'd almost lost her twice, she'd been almost killed before him in an alley, men had snuck onto the palace grounds to try and murder her, and now she was practically a drowning victim! But this was worse than those times combined, worse because Neji knew that this time he couldn't help her because whatever was keeping her from getting up wasn't something he could touch or change. It was in her, and it wasn't in his power to help that.

…

Leo had never felt more disgusted in his life. Or disgusting, for that matter. Covered in who knows what, he sat on the floor of Tenten's mind, surrounded by a pair of wriggling, slimy dragon infants. Both of which were dazed and kept stepping painfully on him as they tried to use their own feet.

They were long, more styled after the Chinese fashion then he would have expected. They must take after their father, he noted as Mei began to stir. He exhaled thankfully, prepared to escape from this ethereal form and return to his body.

"They're boys." He said cheerfully as the Dragon Queen raised her head. He frowned slightly "I think."

Mei chuckled at him and the babies scrambled towards that sound, instantly knowing her to be their mother. "They are…you did well human. You should know that." She began nuzzling the babies as they made strange gurgling noises, vying for her attention between the two of them.

Leo stood, and gave her a bow before turning and striding out of Tenten's brain and back into his own body once more.

"Be still my sons, for I have much to tell you and it must be quick." Mei stated once they were alone, and the twins stilled obediently at the order.

"Trouble is coming, a resolution to this little problem and you must be ready for it, because when it comes you will both be here alone."

…

Leo had no sooner refitted himself into his own body then Tenten's shot upright, gasping and choking for air. The ANBU stumbled back from her, nearly slipping off the slippery bank back into the moat as she coughed.

Neji wrenched himself away from the group and launched himself down at the grass beside Tenten, wrapping his hands round her upper arms and twisting her to face him. "Tenten, what happened? Are you all right?"

But she didn't answer him, just gave him a delirious stare before leaning forward, pressing her forehead into his shoulder. He stilled and listened to her wheeze as she sucked more air into her deprived lungs.

"I need to lie down now." She said, barely whispering. He gave an airy laugh of relief to hear her voice, and responded with a teasing tone;

"But you just got up." He felt her laughter rather then heard it. Standing up, he dragged her to her feet as he did, before wrapping one arm round her middle. Shikamaru appeared on her other side and assisted the prince as they led the girl up the bank.

"Leo." Hiashi said, standing atop the hill looking down, one hand on Hinata's shoulder. The princess was looking rather distraught. "I'll need to speak with you right away."

The masked ANBU member nodded and quickly departed the scene, as the other servants and passersby's disbanded from the area. It seemed everyone knew well enough to clear out before they were ordered too.

"We'll have to go see my sensei another time then huh?" She asked, her voice low with a hint of a pained laugh to it. Neji shot her a look.

"Hush up, don't over exert yourself."

She made a face, seeming to not notice Shikamaru on her other side, or Lee and Hinata trailing them as they crossed the threshold from the drawbridge back into the castle. "Don't you be ordering me about like that your Highness, I won, Remember?" She grinned and looked ahead, her head lolling a bit as she felt tired.

"Yeah." Neji answered. "I remember." She smiled contentedly, not looking back at him. The rest of the walk was silent.

…

The events that followed worked out in both Neji and Tenten's favor, and didn't at the same time.

The medical nin –not including Sakura and Ino who were too busy dealing with Hinata's panic attacks, - had all insisted that Tenten be restricted to bed rest. A thing Neji would have insisted upon anyway.

Another benefit to that had been Tenten's escape from having to face her step-mother. Unable to stop the Queen of Rose from making her visit to the palace, Neji was able to keep her from having an entrance with his attendant.

And so the Queen went away more furious then anyone could understand. It made little sense to them, why would she be so interested in Tenten anyway? Wasn't she just a slave to Queen Mitsuki? Was she really so furious about not being able to see a former slave? And why was she coming all the way across the sea to see her in the first place?

It made no sense.

Neji stood beside the throne his Uncle was occupying, looking all the regal heir to the kingdom he was, staring slightly down his nose at the flustered and furious Mitsuki. Beneath the cool glass of his bored expression, there was a swirling pit of angry and nasty obscenities and questions he wished to hurl at the woman.

"I don't understand why you refuse so entirely to let me have my audience with her!" The woman said, her regal bearing having cracked a good five minutes ago. She now resembled a petulant child arguing with a teacher. The teacher being King Hiashi, who would not be moved on the subject.

"I don't understand," A sudden airy voice chirped from behind Neji, and he turned his head the slightest fraction as his cousin timidly came to stand beside him, looking down at the surprised Queen. "Why you have come to have an audience with her at all."

Most members present in the court were surprised, and it was clear that even the Princess Hinata herself was shocked at what she was saying, at the fact that she was saying anything at all. Neji and his Uncle schooled their faces well, and Neji found himself surprised that he hadn't been surprised at all by the speech.

"You see," Mitsuki said, snapping too once more. "I wanted to be sure that she has settled proper and-"

"A letter would have surfaced." Hinata interrupted, and a murmur rippled round the room as she continued. "Considering also the way she was presented here in the first place, I don't think you really care." Her voice was wavering with fear, but she had yet to stutter.

Neji hadn't witnessed the arrival of Tenten, but he had heard about it several times from several different people. Gossip like the kind Tenten stirred up lingered for a long time it seemed. He felt his eyes narrowing the slightest bit, hardening even more as he glared at the Queen of the Rose.

"She was a citizen of my country, I have a right to request a-"

"You have the right." Hinata broke in again, finally eliciting an amused half smile from her father, not that anyone noticed the King's pride at his daughter's rebellious display, all eyes being on Hinata after all. "To request. This doesn't guarantee you that your request will be approved." Hinata's hand lifted up and came to rest in a feather light touch on her cousin's shoulder. "And the Prince has requested that you be denied, and my Father the King has chosen to honor his over yours. I would suggest you take humility in that and except it." Hinata's hand dropped down along Neji's arm to his wrist, and then her fingers looped into his. Silently they turned and walked to the wings behind the thrones, out the door to the back hall and away from the now speechless indignant Queen.

…

Of course all good things are not without their bad. And while Tenten got to avoid the Queen, she also had to miss the wedding. But part of that was her own doing. Rebecca and Peter had tried to postpone the event, opting to wait until Tenten was better, but the girl wouldn't have any of it. As she had told Rebecca when the woman when she's mentioned it:

"You and Peter have waited too long for this, I'm not going to let you wait any longer on account of me."

And she'd said it with such urgency and in such an almost frightening way that Rebecca had conceded. The wedding was had.

The party was glorious, or so Tenten assumed. She could hear the music from her room if she lay still, which she did most of the time when she was awake. Her body was so weary from the sheer mental fatigue that she spent most of her time sleeping. At some point an unnecessarily huge slice of cake had been left by her bed, and she'd eaten it in several sittings as she passed from her conscious and unconscious states.

The worst part however was the separation the ANBU was insisting upon between Neji and Tenten. No matter how she worded it or who she asked, her visitation requests were denied. And not seeing him irritated her.

Irritated her. Tenten blinked in surprise as the thought passed her mind. Not so long ago she wouldn't have thought that. A chance at doing her own thing and leaving his moody and controlling ass alone would have been her first choice any day. But now, now she was lying in bed wondering what he could possibly be up to without her.

Without her. Tenten frowned, she didn't like that. And she wasn't all that sure why, but it almost made her mad to even think about it. So she stopped, and fell asleep again.

Before dreams had been absent from Tenten's sleep, but slowly as her memories had been added too they started to immerge. And now as she twisted inelegantly around in her bed, as it squeaked in protest, she dreamed about the new dragons in her head.

Their tongues were rough as they licked her face like puppies, and she twisted and laughed in her head to try and avoid them. Mei watched with glazed over eyes on the other side of the room, her tail thumping on the ground in a rhythmic pattern. This was nice, Tenten decided as the babies finally relented and allowed her to stand on her feet again. They couldn't speak as their mother could, and she wondered if they ever would be able too.

"If you are a Queen Mei, does this make them Princes?" She asked, brushing her hand over the nose of the dragon on her left, as the other snuffled at her ankles. Mei's voice rumbled with laughter.

"What is your fascination with titles then?" She asked, and Tenten's dark eyes glinted as she shot the creature a look.

"I don't have a fascination with them, I just understand them a little better now is all." She replied in a slightly miffed fashion, and Mei sighed, instantly seeking to mollify the girl.

"I wonder what your Prince would do should he learn that you were a Princess."

The dragon had meant it in a teasing fashion, one that would make the girl laugh as she was sure it would have. But instead she watched Tenten go rigid, her hands pausing over the twins as her shoulders tensed and locked up.

"He isn't my Prince." She ground out, not moving to look at Mei. "And he wouldn't do anything, and he's never going to find out."

This made Mei frown, and she rose from her spot, padding over to the girl and infants. "But why would he never find out, won't you be going back once the door comes down finally?" Mei nodded past the girl at the glowing door, but Tenten shook her head, out rightly refusing to look at it.

"I'm not going back, I don't want too." She crossed her arms over her chest, ignoring the confused protests of the twins. "I don't want to be a royal, I don't want to leave, I like it here." She stated in an agitated tone. "Why would I ever want to go back besides, I'd be killed if I dared."

Mei scoffed at that. "You know very well should you go back you would have this entire kingdom behind you, helping you regain power, you don't want to go back because you're afraid." She accused, but Tenten's jaw set in a serious way.

"I don't want to go back because I like it here." She replied.

Mei scoffed at her, and then said in a low wispy voice: "You're just scared." Tenten's mouth twisted into a snarl and she whirled fully on the dragon Queen.

"What do you know about it anyway?" She spat back, throwing her hands out to her sides in a large sweeping gesture. "You are a Dragon! You may be a Queen but that means nothing to you! Dragons don't have courts! They don't have people trying to undermine a power you only have because somewhere along the line in the past someone said your blood was special! You haven't got people ripping your family apart for that power! No people to rule or care for, nothing! Don't you dare try and say I'm scared, when you know I'm not scared of anything of the sort! I didn't ask for what happened to me, but it has, and it's opened my eyes to my former situation, a situation I will not go back too!"

Mei drew back to her full height and a full-fledged argument was about to take place when with a startled scream Tenten was ripped from insides the confines of her own head, back into the waking world.

She sat straight up and screamed her eyes wide and weak against the sudden bright light. She was aware that her sound was muffled and her hand flew up, grasping the hand placed there that stopped her from alerting anyone outside of her room of her distress.

"And, screaming. Why the screaming?" A voice beside her chided in a teasingly smug manner, and Tenten whipped her head round to face the speaker, her screams dying in her throat as she smiled against the hand.

"How did you get in here?" She asked, prying Neji's hand from her face. He sat on the edge of her bed, looking rather pleased with himself. She looked over her shoulder at her door, and saw it still firmly sealed by the ANBU, preventing not only from him entering, but her leaving. She looked back at Neji, who was smirking so hard that it was infectious.

"They didn't seal your bathroom." He told her, and her mouth formed an 'O' as she realized what that meant. She giggled at that, flopping back into her mattress as she marveled at the fact that the ANBU had made the same mistake she had.

"Hang on…" She said, her laughter suddenly ceasing as she propped herself up on her elbows, giving him a curious look. She saw how her expression set him on edge as he suddenly regarded her wearily. "How come it took you this long to figure it out…hasn't it been what, almost two weeks now?"

Neji looked sheepish, and his pearl eyes roamed away from her face to look at a spot on her wall. He didn't answer and she flumped back again, drumming her fingers on the mattress waiting. Finally, with a sigh he said,

"It must have slipped my mind." Tenten snorted and he gave her a light glare, sending her into a new fit of giggles.

She gasped loudly as he prodded her in the side in retaliation to being laughed at, and she slapped his wrist in response. After a moment they stopped, and she lay there on her side, one hand resting on the wrist pressing into the mattress near her stomach. Her other hand curled under herself, her fingers thoughtlessly twisting the rose charm round her neck.

"So how is life on the outside then?" She asked, tilting her head back and letting her eyes gaze up at Neji. They were half lidded with sudden grogginess and a thin halo of black was rimming her vision. His weight shifted more onto his hand as he absentmindedly moved her loose hair from her eyes.

"Well, as I am sure you've heard, Hinata sent the Queen of Rose packing, Peter and Rebecca are wed and lovely, and Leo's been awarded for his struggles." Neji made an unpleasant face. "Whatever they may be." Tenten laughed and rolled onto her back, her hand splaying cross the mattress on the other side of her body, her nails scraping her collar bone with the other still clutching her necklace.

Stupid Mei. Stupid Mei making her think about her blood and her nobility and her…Tenten suddenly shot up in the bed, startling Neji who reached for her arm to steady her as she rocked. She twisted and wrenched the necklace off over her head and flung it, rocking against Neji's shoulder as it soared against the wall.

Neji turned to ask her what she'd done that for, why she'd done that, when he saw her yawning smile as she eased back onto her pillows.

"I'm not going to ever be that again." She said, firmly and happily. Neji wondered what _that_ was.

…

Kakashi looked over his teacup at his guests, his invisible smile obvious only by the occasional squint of his eye. Tenten was sulking into her cup, trying to keep from making eye contact with a single person in the room. Neji was doing a fairly good job of ignoring her as well, which was odd considering it was at the Prince's insistence that this trip had been made.

"Lee! Put that down, it's not exercise equipment!" Tenten suddenly quipped at the rambunctious boy, who did as she ordered instantly with a large smile and a cheer of youth and other things. The boy on her other side mumbled something about things being troublesome and stifled a yawn.

"This is the most company I have had at once since I was court marshaled!" Kakashi sing-songed in a cheerful voice. He glanced at the sudden surprised and suspicious faces of the teenagers at his table before he hurriedly added, "Kidding, I kid!" He laughed and Tenten rolled her eyes in apology as the young men looked to her for reassurance.

Shikamaru cleared his throat first, and he pointedly ignored the way everyone at the table stared at him, expecting his speech.

"So…I suppose we should talk about how you two met or something?" Kakashi blinked idly as he watched Tenten burry her face in her hands and stifle a groan. Beneath his mask he felt his mouth quirk up into a smile.

"What are you all?" He questioned. "Her brothers?" He laughed at that, enjoying not only his own joke but the uncomfortable expressions that passed over three of the four youths before him. Lee was merely beaming and babbling on at the possibilities of being related to anyone present at the table.

The conversation eased up after that, and Kakashi looked pleased as they sipped at their tea and chatted. Things would go smoothly. His gaze drifted to his Godson and he marveled at how like his father he looked.

And so he was pleased, sure that none of the people pleasant would be ratting him out any time soon for selling ANBU secrets to a girl.


End file.
